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Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies Group Report m s a _ 13 / 14 Y. 5 _

Holly Hadfield, Joe Fowler, Nurfatinah Mohd Rashidee, Samuel Rutter


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Contents _

+ Introduction + Approach to Urban Ecologies + Grange - over - Sands Master Plan + Continuity on a large scale + Berner’s Pool and the Lido + Conclusion + References + Appendix _ Group Presentation


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Approach to Urban Ecologies _

Introduction _

The notion of ‘Critical Regionalism’ is embedded in our efforts for sustainable, valued design. An architectural agenda is called for that strives to uphold identity and contextual values within new building design. This design should take into account existing building techniques and customs local to the context of the project, and seek to provide a modern architecture that selectively uses these existing customs. We do not aim to merely repeat what has gone before, but to use this as a starting point for developing a new local architectural language. This impacts on social, environmental, and economical concerns. With mechanised production and a vast global transport network, the universal availability of certain materials and technologies has becoming widely appealing with the impact on procurement times and expense. As Kenneth Frampton writes, what we see is “the spreading before our eyes of a mediocre civilisation”. Not only does this regional consideration provide a richer urban fabric, it reduces transportation distances for materials, feeds into local economies, and offers the region a certain ownership over its buildings. In his new book, ‘Thinking Architecture’, Peter Zumthor writes:

Through examining a series of texts related to our atelier’s intentions within architectural design, we are able to define a clear position within the context of Urban Ecologies. These texts are: + ‘Prospects for a Critical Regionalism’ by Kenneth Frampton + ’Why Critical Regionalism Today?’ by Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre + ‘Critical Regionalism Revisited’ by Kenneth Frampton + ‘Scarpa: Architecture in Details; Chapter 1; The course of Invention’ by Bianca Albertini and Sandro Bagnoli + ‘Beyond the Wall of Hadrians Villa, Parrhasius’ Veil: Lewerentz’ Journey to Italy’ A summation of our ideals can be defined as an emphasis on a human scale within architecture. We seek to provide sustainability through creating architecture valued by the community it serves. An architecture which uses existing local building techniques, local materials where possible, and local tradesmen.

“When I was at Art School we looked for a new solution to every problem. We felt it was important to be avant-garde, thus we frequently invented what had already been invented… Later however, as practicing architects, we do well to get acquainted with the enormous repository of knowledge and experience contained in the history of architecture. I believe that if we integrate this in our work, we have a better chance of making a genuine contribution of our own.”


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Historic vernacular responses may not be suited to today’s urban setting, but that is not to say we cannot learn from well established principals of the locale, and re-interpret them in a modern language. For example, Casa delle Bottere by John Pawson. The pitched gable and sunken courtyard, developed from traditional design approaches, contribute to this house being awarded the gold star certification for sustainability in Italy, one of only 70 gold star houses in the country. Solar PV panels and geothermal wells also combine modern technologies with the local climate to enable a supremely efficient building. Using the example of our atelier’s project site, Grange-over-Sands, many vernacular details can be analysed with regards to our own studio projects. The steep pitched roofs, projecting a considerable distance away from the external walls, act as a response to the wet climate. Forcing the rainfall away from the walls increases their lifespan and durability by reducing the need for maintenance and repair. The use of quick, rough quarry stone as the common building material, complimented by cut stone at edge details requiring strength, and with granite as a decorative element, are also all methods of construction and design that can be analysed within our own work. The argument is that a building truly born of its environment, and not so fixed on an applied form or style, is a building that becomes a valuable and cared-for contribution to collective history and memory of its setting. Casa delle Bottere _ John Pawson


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Cumbrian Vernacular Details _ Large overhang, small windows and strenghtened corners

By making use of vernacular strategies, not only are there implications with regards to the environmental and economical impact of materials used, but the architect is able to make use of the particular knowledge of expert tradesmen. By working closely with those who have an intimate knowledge of the materials and conditions with which they are working, the possibilities of a highly efficient construction process and ultimately a beautiful and durable building are all the more likely. In ‘Scarpa: Architecture in Details’, Scarpa’s methods are described with regards to the close relationships he built with a team of trusted, local workers. A dialogue is created between the building and the community, making use of an existing knowledge base and creating a value to the building. During a debate between our atelier (Continuity in Architecture) and the QED atelier, a similarity was observed with regards to the importance of a building’s longevity within the argument of sustainability. Whereas QED examined the effects of programme and construction methods on the building’s longevity and durability, we would argue that the relative value of these buildings to their surrounding community is as equally a strong a factor in their lifespan. For example, the industrial legacy within Manchester has created a popular desire for warehouse/factory apartments and conversions. These buildings have survived not only due to their usable condition, but due to their value to the city in maintaining an identity and spirit as an industrial northern city. Ultimately a city that manages to maintain an identity within an environment of widespread globalisation is a city able to not only survive, but to thrive. When considering the use of environmental control measures within building design, our clear approach is one of passive technology based on contextual tactics, as a first measure. Environmental and climate related design decisions should also be made with regards to the atmosphere created by these decisions. Design at a human scale means the consideration of how elements of climate control can improve the experience of the space. For example, the consideration of using a wood burner at the heart of a home, providing an intimate and atmospheric gathering space, over the use of a wet-heating system powered by renewable energy. Returning to the texts relating to Critical Regionalism, we would emphasise that it is necessary to adopt modern architecture, but at the same time a value should be placed on the geographical context of the building. It is a progressive approach to design that seeks to mediate between the global and local languages of architecture. We should be wary of global solutions to environmental control that sometimes create new problems for architecture to solve, such as excessive use of glazing, or the widespread use of air conditioning that therefore enables a context-less architecture to exist anywhere across the globe. Sigurd Lewerentz suggested that “it is not the form of the object that is important, but rather its precise effect, its surface, its scale, its shadow.” The materiality of his St Mark’s Church in Stockholm highlights the importance of how humans perceive buildings. Surface and texture dominate his work, so that we are obliged to move close, to touch and to feel. As written by Tadao Ando, “detail exists as the most important element in expressing identity”. It is necessary to follow the example of Lewerentz in a fragmented approach to analysing site conditions. Rather than be limited to a ‘whole’ homogenous technological concept or solution, we believe that a solution should instead respond to different site conditions and issues; bringing together a collection of parts, rather than imposing a singular vision.


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Grange - over - Sands Master Plan _

In Continuity in Architecture, we took part in a master planning workshop with visiting architect and urban planner, Garry Colligan of ThinkPlace, to develop our plans for regenerating the town of Grange-over-Sands, C!umbria.

Focus and Process of Design _

In creating the new masterplan, the group sought to implement CiA principals (predominantly: maintaining the character of the place / working with what you already have as much as possible / making use of existing structures and spaces / taking a sensitive approach towards the existing plan) and apply the various methods and techniques that we learned about the hierarchy and ordering of spaces, arranging traffic flow, lines-of-sight and natural routes etc., to re-imagining the historic town centre in a new light. The exercise, as well as helping us in our studio projects, intended to demonstrate the possibilities of analysing and dealing with larger scale projects and masterplanning, without necessarily the need for dramatic alterations to existing infrastructure or site conditions. Rather, we took a considered approach, making use of existing buildings and public spaces wherever possible and creating continuity throughout the spaces by introducing subtle repeated elements and material changes at ground level and through treatments of the principal facades, only altering or adding urban elements that we thought essential to the overall scheme and the future success of the town. Any new structures that were to be introduced were first discussed as a group and then designed to sit comfortably within the site (taking references of scale, proportion and materiality from their locality) and have minimum impact on the scheme as an individual building.

Existing _

Proposed _

The following case studies illustrate our approach to urban ecologies at the scale of urban housing schemes, rather than just through singular building design. These act to support our argument for a contextual, locally embedded approach to master planning.

Public space

Retained buildings


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Continuity on a large scale _

The following two projects are a medium and a large-scale urban housing projects that have offered a contemporary architecture and a fresh design approach that reinvents localised housing typologies while remaining true to the character of their place and situation. Although designed and completed half a century apart, the two schemes both successfully address the pressing issue of modern urban housing while through careful analysis of their context, use of materials and scale, create architecture that does not impose itself upon the site, but is seamlessly integrated within its surroundings and the history of the site and its inhabitants.

FAT Architects’ Woodward Place social housing scheme within the New Islington development on Great Ancoats, Manchester relocates 23 families from the demolished Cardroom Estate. Its residents committee not only selected FAT as its architects in competition but was intimately involved in the scheme’s design through a rolling programme of consultation. Rejecting initial plans to be dispersed throughout new apartment blocks, the residents voiced strong support for keeping the existing community together, as many of the Cardroom residents had lived on the estate since its construction almost 30 years ago.

Woodward Place, New Islington, Manchester _ FAT Architects: 2006

FAT’s scheme answers those concerns with recourse to a housing typology with strong roots in Manchester’s suburbs. The houses are laid out in two back-to-back terraces with rear gardens which back onto a gated alley. The scheme incorporates three different housing types, all of which have been designed in accordance with Lifetime Homes principles so that the ground floor plan can effectively become a self-contained unit if residents lose mobility as they grow older. This flexibility will allow the houses to be adapted as required and ensure their longevity and continued use. The houses were also designed to achieve an Eco Homes Excellent rating, through careful and sensitive choices of materials and construction methods, ensuring effective and efficient thermal performance and introducing high levels of natural daylight minimising energy u!se and using white goods that reduce water use. For the development FAT worked closely with the residents to make a strong urban street frontage using conventional construction techniques and materials and incorporating symbolic references to the idea of home. The interior of each house is essentially conceived as a blank canvas that residents can make their own, and the colours of the rendered rear elevations were specified by the residents from a pallette devised by the architects.


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Cumbrian Vernacular Details _ Large overhang, small windows and strenghtened corners

Lillington Gardens, Pimlico, London _ Darbourne and Darke: 1961 - 80

Though the scheme is contemporary in its design and playful in its execution, by adopting the familiar back- to-back housing typology and using traditional Manchester brick on the external envelope, the architects have successfully created a scheme that speaks of both the past and future of suburban Manchester. By involving the community in the design process and allowing for adaptability and personalisation by the residents, the scheme ensures its place in the physicality and the collective memory of its residents and its context, and is a fine example of how suburban housing can be re-imagined for modern living in the 21st century.

Lillington Gardens estate was an attempt to reintroduce human scale, variety, natural materials and urban spaces as a direct reaction to the rational, modernist towers and town planning that took hold in Britain after the second world war. The impact of this large-scale social-housing estate is notable. Built in the same red brick as the nearby Grade I Listed Church of St James the Less, the staggered terraces and internal squares enable a large number of flats and maisonettes which would eventually stretch most of the considerable length of Vauxhall Bridge Road, without the need for a high-rise construction. This achieves the intended continuity between public and private housing, and allows the aesthetically appealing church spire to be visible from the whole estate.


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Berner’s Pool and the Lido _

Moving to a smaller scale and specialist building, a polemic case study based in Grangeover-Sands is Berner’s Pool. Multiple parties were to be blame on the closing of Berner’s Pool. Opened in 2003, and designed by Stepher Hodder from Hodder Associates, the pool had won awards (such as the RIBA Design Award in 2004), but was demolished in 2013. Hodder Associates’ claims of poor maintenance leading to the £900,000 repair bill may well be justified. Stephen Hodder mentioned that the council had always been against it, as they never wanted the liability, and had always had an attitude of ‘we won’t be there to pick up the pieces’. The council however blamed either the design, maintenance and construction. On the other side, the maintenance said that they sought help from the council for any way they could receive assistance financially, but they received no such help. Taken from AJ article dated 15th, March 2007, a letter wrote by Mark Deverill, partner, HM Architecture, “The business model prepared by the operating trust was misguided from the outset, it is unlikely that the pool would have survived, regardless of who designed it. Having visited the pool with my family prior to its closure, maintenance was obviously an issue. One of the boilers was not working, but they still took our money in the depths of winter. The faulty glass sliding door reported in your article meant that to access the family changing rooms we had to pass through the ‘clean’ area of the pool. To say it was filthy is a gross understatement. If, like us, other visitors were confronted with this level of filth and lack of basic maintenance, there is no wonder the clientele steadily demised.” The estate was among the last of the high-density public housing schemes built in London during the postwar period, and is referred to as one of the most distinguished; Lillington Gardens looked ahead to a new standard that achieved high housing density within a medium rather than high-rise structure. It emphasised individuality in the grouping of dwellings, and provided for private gardens at ground and roof levels. The high build quality, and particularly the planted gardens of its wide “roof streets”, blend sympathetically with the surrounding Victorian terraces. The entire estate was designated a conservation area in 1990.


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

This building is an interesting example of a contextual design, built partially with community-raised funds, that has suffered an extreme deficiency in upkeep. It stands as testament to the difficulties that can be encountered despite designing within context and within the community. There is no clear argument for a singular reason for the closure, yet it highlights the importance of considering a building’s lifespan and maintenance – something that not even great design can compensate for. Phil Brady, a developer, commented on the latest proposal development near the site, on the grounds of the olld lido. It seems bizarre that rather than restoring the lido the council is now promoting and financially supporting a plan to build what would see the third swimming next to the two that have gone before. Though Berner’s had problems, we would argue that the demolishment of the building seems an extreme measure. Berner’s marked an important architectural statement in Grange, as it was the one of the few building to be built there in the 21st century. According to many locals, they enjoyed coming to the pool and Berner’s had a great potential to be an asset to Grange. It is an awful waste of what was, and still is, a beautiful building.

Grange Lido is also on the edge of demolition. It was opened in 1932 and had its glory days when Grange was once a tourist destination spot. It was closed down in 1993. The art deco outdoor pool received a tremendous support from the locals for a restoration proposal. According to public consultation carried out by South Lakeland District, out of 953 respondents, 73 per cent said they wanted “a lido”. Though it is important to listen to the community’s voice, the survey they conducted was to make a more constructive proposal for the Lido, as Grange has seen a community supported project costing millions of pounds go to waste on the Berner’s pool site. It is an interesting conflict of interests when the majority of the residents want to restore it to a lido, with little desire for the inclusion of different programmatic units or attempts for multiple use. In this instance, the Continuity in Architecture architect would perhaps seek to mediate between the results of the community surveys. There is no doubt that the lido is an important historic asset therefore should be retained, but it also needs to be rejuvenated and adjusted to a more modern town with consideration for future requirements and the possible growth of Grange. Flexibility and identity combined.


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Conclusion _

References _

Ultimately our approach to urban ecologies is an emphasis on place-making and identity. We believe that through maintaining connections with context, by adhering to the ideals laid out in this report, communities and cities can withstand the pressures of globalisation without being consumed. By utilising modern materials and techniques, and pushing the boundaries of contextual architecture, we are able to develop cities that react to the accelerating technological developments without sacrificing identity.

+ ‘Prospects for a Critical Regionalism’ Kenneth Frampton + ’Why Critical Regionalism Today?’ Alexander Tzonis and Liane Lefaivre + ‘Critical Regionalism Revisited’ Kenneth Frampton + ‘Scarpa: Architecture in Details; Chapter 1; The course of Invention’ Bianca Albertini and Sandro Bagnoli + ‘Beyond the Wall of Hadrians Villa, Parrhasius’ Veil: Lewerentz’ Journey to Italy’ Louis Moreno and Garcia Mansilla +

‘Thinking Architecture’ Peter Zumthor

+

‘Casa Delle Bottere’ John Pawson Found at : http://www.johnpawson.com/works/casa-delle-bottere/

+

‘Woodward Place’ FAT Found at : http://www.bdonline.co.uk/woodward-place-housing-new-islington-byfat/3066635.article +

‘Lillington Gardens’ Geoffrey Darke and John Darboun Found at : http://www.londongardensonline.org.uk/gardens-online-record.asp?ID=WST057 +

‘Berner’s Pool’ Hodder and Partners Found at : http://www.hodderandpartners.com/projects/berners-pool-grange-oversands +

‘Grange-over-Sands Lido’ Bernard Smith Found at : http://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/business-and-trade/townvillageprojects/grange-over-sands-lido/


Continuity in Architecture _ Urban Ecologies

Appendix _

+ Urban Ecologies _ Group Presentation


Hello, our names are Holly, Tina, Sam and Joe, and today we will be presenting the views of Continuity in Architecture with regards to sustainability, technology and ecology. We have divided this presentation into 4 key points which we believe together summarise our stance. These are: detail, problem solving, fragments, and heterogeneity. We will be moving through these points in terms of a growth in scale, beginning with building details and ending with the idea of heterogeneity within the city. So first, let me explain the idea of detail:

Continuity in Architecture Integrated Technologies Holly Hadfield, Nurfatinah Mohd Rashidee, Samuel Rutter, Joe Fowler


The point we will be exploring is the notion of ‘detail’ as a central role within the design. This manifests itself in the methods of construction, materials, and choice of technologies embedded in the building. The word ‘embedded’ here is an important once as it speaks clearly of our approach. We seek to unify technology within the building and its surroundings, through close attention to the way in which it intrudes into the space. Here you can see a diagram displaying the 2 main branches from this idea of detail (local craftsmen and evocative spaces), and their influence on a wider range of issues affecting economics, society and the environment. We can explore this diagram further at the end of the presentation if it is desired.


One example that represents this unity of technology with the building and its surroundings, is Peter Zumthor’s thermal spa (the Therme-Vals), which requires a serious level of control in terms of ventilation, dehumidification and lighting. These regulatory structures do not impede the evocative nature of the space. Through a careful and critical choice of heating, lighting and ventilation systems, for example we create spaces enhanced by these choices; they are not merely self-subsistent systems existing as an addition to the design.


At Therme-Vals, the building is half buried into the landscape, rather than sitting on top of it, making use of the existing protective shelter of the earth. The main construction material is locally quarried Valser Quarzite slabs, and this stone became the driving inspiration for the design. Our approach is about providing more than just the requirements of light, space and warmth, but of fusing natural and man-made elements, thus providing a reconnection to nature and creating an evocative and poetic space.


“The important thing is that there should be no straining, no violation of what exists. Everything must look natural.�


This is particularly echoed in the works of Carlo Scarpa, who frequently used poetry to express a concept, or to confirm the necessity of particular spaces. An inspiration of his being the Imperial Palace of Katsura, in Tokyo, where “the bamboo with its periodic clack against the stones‌ channels water into the fountain.â€? Focussing the users perception of a building on the tactility of the materials, on the smaller details of experience - these are the details which we believe ultimately allow for a building to age appropriately, to allow for re-use and for adaptation, not to become unusable once the current programme has passed on. Scarpa was known for using a trusted assortment of local craftsmen to construct his projects. Their specific knowledge of local materials and methods allows the advancement of a detailed and efficient design. By making use of an existing knowledge base, not only is the local economy enhanced and supported, but a dialogue is created between the community and the building. It becomes a symbol of pride, rather than just another new building that has appeared and can just as easily be demolished to make way for the new.


In this way we address sustainability through longevity. Not only does the community or region have a reason to feel responsibility and a connection with the building, thus ensuring its survival, but the maintenance and repair is able to be sourced locally. New parts, fabricated components, or labour does not have to be brought from abroad – a source of expense and emissions not necessarily laid out in any initial estimations for the building. Therefore, by focussing on the details of the building, by choosing local labourers who intimately know the materials they are working with, we are not only able to create poetic spaces that thrive on local culture and allow for programme adaptation, but we create buildings that become part of the community and that act as a source of pride and responsibility. By focussing on the SOCIAL factor of construction, we address the lifespan of the building, its impact on the local economy, the carbon emissions and costs necessary in the maintenance process, and ultimately the connection and presence that the building maintains within its context.







I would like to discuss another element of our approach to Technology, Fragments. A wide overview of a fragmentary approach to design is that one is able to separate and distinguish elements to appreciate a building for a variety of different purposes.


This ideology allows you, the observer or creator, to see the importance of textures, surfaces, scale and shadow as a potential generator of design rather than the form as a whole. An example of this can be found in Sigurd Lewerentz’s St. Mark’s Church in Stolkholm. In this case the materiality of the building highlights the importance of how humans perceive buildings. Surface and texture dominate his work so much so that we are obliged to move close, to touch and to feel. Lewerentz suggested that ‘it is not the form of the object that is important, but rather its precise effect, its surface, its scale, its shadow.’

St. Mark’s Church, Stockholm

Sigurd Lewerentz


As written by Tadao Ando: ‘I believe that the architectural materials do not end with wood and concrete that have tangible forms but go beyond to include light and and wind which appeal to our senses … detail exists as the most important element in expressing identity’ We believe in creating buildings that people love to be in and value what has been made and we intend to implement this through a textural approach.

“It is not the form or the object that is important, but its precise effect, its surface, its scale, its shadow.”


With regards to this ideology, it can help to analyse an appropriate response to building technology on a site. Through the careful analysis of site conditions, through fragmentation, one should be able to conceive an overall strategy that works in harmony with the site. We believe that a solution that responds to different site conditions and issues is the correct response. One shouldn’t be limited to a ‘whole’ homogeneous technological concept or solution, when the site asks for more, and this is the premise of Fragments. As we have learnt through Kenneth Frampton, whilst building within an urban context one should attempt to ‘sustain the grain of the existing fabric’, looking beyond the city an example of complex site conditions are ‘Greenfield Sites’. The Beautour Thatched Musuem and Biodiversity Research Centre is an example of a building which uses a range of technological solutions in order to harmonise with its surroundings and become truly site specific, contextualist project.

Beatour Thatched Museum and Biodiversity Research Centre

Guinée*Potin Architectes


The building follows the natural topography of the site, like a branch laying on the ground, and creates a ‘new geography’ to complete the natural scenography. A different approach to another site specific problem could be, as Frampton suggests, the extending of the ‘earthwork of a building’ so that its structure sits integrated within the landscape and vice versa. This in turn allows us, looking further into an urban context, to design buildings that, rather than sitting as an imposing, whole, self-contained structure, are intricately woven into the urban fabric, the continuation of a story. We believe that buildings should have a symbiotic relationship with their surroundings.


Modern building technologies and practices have allowed for innumerable advancements in the conception and delivery of architectural production as it exists today. Steel and concrete now provide us with cheaper alternatives to traditional masonry, mechanical production and a vast global transport network have made all technologies universally available and have massively reduced procurement times and construction schedules, and the pressures of modern commerce see that projects can be completed ever quicker and cheaper. Though this may be good news for the buisnessman or the developer, it is our arguement that in todays Architectural marketplace, where it is possible for whole buildings to be bought off the shelf as a kit of parts, transported across the globe and assembled in a matter of weeks, this exponential trend of globalisation has, more often than not, come at the great expense of conserving cultural resources, values and traditions, and a sense of place. As Kenneth Frampton puts it, what we see is: ‘the spreading before out eyes of a mediocre civilisation.’


In his book, Thinking Architecture, Peter Zumthor writes: ‘When I was at Art School we looked for a new solution to every problem. We felt it was important to be avant-garde, thus we frequently invented what has already been invented... Later however, as practicing architects, we do well to get acquainted with the enormous repository of knowledge and experience contained in the history of architecture. I believe that if we integrate this in our work, we have a better chance of making a genuine contribution of our own.’ Over hundreds, if not thousands of years, all regions of the world have developed situation-specific and often climate-responsive architectural features that today forms a resource of collective wisdom, which if appropriately reinterpreted, can facilitate the design of new modern architectures that seek to contribute to their regional heritage and also address more pressing global issues, such as effectively reducing energy consumption without introducing the financial and environmental costs of resource-intensive electrical and technological interventions. Borrowing from history’s architectural traditions and details allows for a building to sit as a mediator between the past, present and future of a place, contributing to an established rythem and order, more human, sober and satisfying, and less conceited or self-indulgent.


Examples of historic vernacular responses to climate: The unusual roofscapes of the lower Sind District in Western Pakistan. The ‘windscoops’ channel desert winds down into every room of the building, to cool the air which in the summer months reaches in excess of 45Celsius. Since the wind always blows from the same direction the position of the windscoops is permanently fixed. This practice has been in use for at least 500 years.


Examples of historic vernacular responses to climate: Thatched roofs in the valleys of northern Japan. As well as providing superb thermal insulation against both heat and cold these enormous pitches reaching to the ground protect the dwellings in an area of the county that sees extensive periods of heavy rainfall in the monsoon seasons.


Of course these are two which may not be suited to todays urban setting, but that is not to say that we cannot learn from well established principals of the locale and re-interpret them in a modern language, be it regional modernism / modern vernacular. Perhaps the main way it is possible for architecture to lean away from global homogenuity and towards locality is for the design emphasis to be taken off style and trend and to remove ego, all which impede the success of genuine place-making but all which permeate through most aspects of modern architecture. Instead, if a building were born truly of its environment - responding to wind, light and the land as much as catering for its inhabitants, its history and cultural pecularities - and not so fixed on form or style employed to stir superficial emotion, through a dialogue with regional social and cultural architectural heritage, valuing local craft and customs, it would become a valuable and cared-for contribution to the collective history and memory of its setting.




Thank you Continuity in Architecture Integrated Technologies Holly Hadfield, Nurfatinah Mohd Rashidee, Samuel Rutter, Joe Fowler


Semes t erI I I 4. 3


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Shaws of Darwen


1 Contents Shaws of Darwen Architectural Terracotta and Faience

2

_1 _2 _3 _4

About - introduction - premises - location within Darwen - landscape expansion - material source and site History - early use of the product - terracotta and technology - emergence of faience - industry challenges - Shaw-Hathernware formation - partnership dissolution - revival of interest Products - architectural restoration - new build projects - production process summary Craftsmanship - traditional craft - age-old techniques - nurtured skills


1 About Introduction

4

Established as the Shaws Glazed Brick Company by Arthur Gerald Shaw in 1897, Shaws Terracotta has enjoyed an uninterrupted lifetime of manufacture and trading, providing components for some of the finest pieces of architecture in the world (Shaws of Darwen, 2013).


1 About premises

6

The company set up its premises in 1897 at Whitebirk, Blackburn. In the year of 1908, a new factory was built adjacent to the existent mines at the Waterside. Shaws was Darwen’s largest employer in 1924, employing up to 600 staff at the 24 acre Water Side site, which is one of the world’s largest terracotta manufacturing plants (Stratton, 1997).


1 About location within Darwen

WATERSIDE

8

Despite merging and demerging with another company during the 20th century, Shaws has maintained its position at the Water Side site.

DARWEN


1 About Shaws 1890

landscape expansion

Shaws 1980

Shaws 1950

Shaws 1920

Shaws 1960

Shaws 1910

10

1890

1910

1920

1950

1960

1980


1 About material source and site

12

In the initial days of the manufacturing process, Arthur Gerald Shaw excavated and used the rich clay deposits unearthed at his father’s coal mines. These mines were located at at Belthorn and Waterside in Darwen, Lancashire - the latter location being the present maufacturing site (Stratton, 1997). In more recent years, the source of the clay has changed and is now only taken from one mine in Devon. This clay is of a better quality and is used in all products generated by the factory (Wilson, 2014).

DARWEN

DEVON

2014


2 History early use of the product

14

As one of the oldest building materials known to man, Architectural Terracotta and Faience has been used since the formation of the ancient colonies in Egypt, Babylon, Greece and Rome (Shaws of Darwen, 2013).


2 History terracotta and technology

16

In the latter part of the 18th century, the product found its core market in both the UK and US, provoking widespread usage in domestic, civic, religious, commercial and public structures. America was expanding and the British interest in architectural decoration was evident. Due to advances in technology and the popular use of steel framed structures; terracotta became a popular and highly durable cladding material (Shaws of Darwen, 2013).


2 History emergence of faience

18

Following the conclusion of the First World War in the early 20th century, styles began to change and the incorporation of Faience within designs became common. This practice introduced a variety of glazes to the product, which improved durability even further and correlated with the prevalent Art Deco scene of that era (Shaws of Darwen, 2013).


2 History industry challenges

20

Unfortunately, the popularity of Terracotta and Faience declined after the Second World War and the industry suffered as a result. However, Shaws of Darwen managed to stand the test of time by altering its image to suit the ever-changing market and new directions of the modern movement (Shaws of Darwen, 2013).


2 History Shaw-Hathernware formation

22

In a bid to generate more economic funds for their investment, Shaws merged with their market rival Hathernware in 1961, forming ShawHathernware. In the following two decades, Shaw-Hathernware made heavy investments in the name of mass production (Stratton, 1997). In the mid-seventies Shaw-Hathernware had clients such as the Arndale in Manchester UK, as well as export orders from Australia, Tenerife, Cameroon and even Mauritius (Stratton, 1997).


2 History partnership dissolution

24

In 1980, the partnership between Shaws and Hathern ceased and the assets of Shaws of Darwen were sold to the Concrete Masonry Group. After suffering a troublesome decade and and another change of ownership, Shaws re-emerged into the terracotta market with new motives and initiatives (Stratton, 1997). Their success owed to their pursuit of handmade and elegantly crafted products, of which they were previously associated with, but also to their mass production of sanitary components (Belfast Sinks) and restoration interests (Stratton, 1997).


2 History revival of interest

26

In contemporary society, architectural ceramic has witnessed a revival, owing to the wave of demands for the restoration and preservation of our heritage (Shaws of Darwen, 2013). There has been a resurgence of interest surrounding the terracotta product and Shaws of Darwen do their best to exploit that attention. The client base is now primarily situated in the UK and in the cities of Chicago and New York within the USA (Wilson, 2014).


3 Services architectural restoration

28

As one of their services, Shaws offer restorative practices for the preservation of older terracotta components in architecture. This usually involves the undertaking of meticulous surveys; assessing colour, finish and detail of the original building. The bespoke criterias of restoration projects mean that shape, colour and finishes are never the same. The existent catalogue at Shaws is therefore wide-ranging and non-restrictive. The amount of material to be restored is dependent on the survey undertaken at site. This is further explained in the Process of Manufacture section (Shaws Terracotta, 2014).


3 Services new-build projects

30

Shaws also offer their involvement in newbuild projects with bespoke objectives of shape, colour and finish. Again, as with the restoration projects, the catalogue is not restrictive. Shaws works closely with it’s clients to produce innovative terracotta and faience designs (Shaws Terracotta, 2014). The company are able to assist with the design process, constuct full-size mock-ups and deliver the end-product at a high quality. New-build projects typically adopt terracotta as an effective cladding solution.


3 Services production process summary

32


4 Craftsmanship traditional craft

34

‘The conservation of our unique inheritance of historic buildings requires the skill and experience to match that of the original craftsmen. We have nurtured and developed this expertise to become world leaders in the restoration field’ (Shaws Terracotta, 2014; online). Shaws Terracotta pride themselves on recreating the traditional construction methods employed centuries ago. The many restorations projects call for a consistent requirement of traditional craftsmanship to match the detail of the original building. (Shaws Terracotta, 2014).


4 Craftsmanship age-old techniques

36

Working with a team of local craftsmen, modelling and moulding techniques are quite often still employed in the traditional way, where a plaster model is formed to produce a reverse mould for casting. Building on the knowledge and experience passed through generations of specialist artisans, Shaws continue to provide the best quality of material with processes just as valid today as they were 100 years ago (Shaws Terracotta, 2014).


4 Craftsmanship nurtured skills

38

Shaws’ architectural terracotta is a fired clay product, produced from a prepared blend of clay. Typically, the clay body is pressed by hand into moulds to form hollow blocks that are load-bearing, durable and fire-resistant. These blocks can range from simple ashlar to highly decorative pieces with an earthy throughbody colour that can be glazed with a coloured gloss, eggshell or matt finish. Occassionally, Shaws are asked to restore, replace or design lifesize sculptures as part of their body of work. For this particular pursuit of sulptural form, Shaws employ a selection of highly skilled labourers to carry out the craft by hand (Shaws Terracotta, 2014).


2 Contents The process of manufacture

40

_1 _2 _3 _4 _5 _6

Design - site survey - drawing Moulding - wire cut moulding - sculpter crafted moulding - creating a plaster mould Casting - creating a liquid slip - filling the mould - forcing the clay - setting Finishing - hand finishing - defining the surface finish - painting Firring - before & after Finished product - inspection - shipment


1 Design survey

42

On restoration projects an on site survey is conducted to identify and measure the components that need to be replaced. The accuracy of this survey is essential as the finished terracotta components must be made to a 1% tolerence. Complicated compenents may also be removed and returned to the office for more detailed analysis.


1 Design drawing

44

All components whether surveyed or proposed by an architect, are redrawn by the in house design team to create shop drawings that can then be manufactured. These drawings are scaled 5% larger than the desired finished piece. This is to allow a predicted 5% shrinkage that occurs in the clay after it has been cast and before it is fired.


2 Moulding wire cut moulding

46

Blocks that have only two dimentional profiles in their surface can be cut out using a computer aided wire cutter. These blocks are cut quickly and accurately from the CAD drawings.


2 Moulding hand crafted moulding

48

For forms that are more complicated than extruded profiles, a hand crafted scuplture is produced. Working from the design teams 5% enlagred drawings and blown up photograps, this team create by hand the complex mouldings that often characterise terracotta components. The wet clay sculptures must then be turned into moulds from which the final cast can be taken.


2 Moulding creating a plaster mould

50

The positive clay moulds and polystyrene blocks must next be turned into plaster moulds. This is done by encasing the positive form in plaster to create a negative of the original that can then be used to cast the final clay component.


3 Casting creating a liquid slip

52

Before moulding can take place the liquid slip is created by mixing water with noodles of clay and powdered grog (clay that has already been fired) to add strength and stability to the mixture. The elements are dry mixed and poured over large magnets to remove ferrous impurities from the mixture. These can affect the surface finish of the final product. The clay was originally mined on site in Darwen, however, a more stable product is now delivered from Devon. The quality of the clay is highly important as the company must be able to accurately predict the rate at which it will shrink.


3 Casting fillling the mould

54

The moulds are then filled with the liquid slip. Depending on the size of the mould the liquid clay is left to solidify, this process can take from 1 – 2 days.


3 Casting forcing the clay

56

To ensure that the clay has reached all the corners of the mould some more clay is either forced into the mould by hand, or a ‘head’ of clay is left in a container on top of the mould to apply pressure to the liquid inside.


3 Casting setting

58

Once removed from the mould, wet newspaper is laid over the surface to prevent the clay from drying too quickly and splitting.


4 Finishing hand finishing

60

All components require a Scraping tools are used and gaps in the mould adding more clay to the

level of hand finishing. to smooth the surface, can also be filled by affected area.


4 Finishing defining the surface finish

62

A special department known as ‘the lab’ holds a large library of tested glazes. During the design process the architect must liase with the lab to define what surface finish they require. This normally begins with the selection of a RAL colour and a surface texture from the library. Where the designer requires a colour or finish which is not found in the library, new glaze recipes are created for specific projects. On restoration projects where existing elements must be matched, many trial glazes may be produced to find a recipe that yields the best match to the original piece.


4 Finishing painting

64

Before the moulded components can be fired in a kiln they must be sprayed with an undercoat (Yellow opposite) before the oxide glaze (Pink opposite) that will define their surface finish. The final colours of the glaze are activated by the heat of the kiln.


5 Firing before & after

66

Components then recieve a sprayed on undercoat and glaze before being fired in the kiln for up to 36 hours. The product goes into the kiln white and come out in its final coloured finish.


6 Finished product inspection

68

All components are quality checked by eye for surface impurities, size and quality. Some surface imperfections can be ground out, filled, glazed and fired again.


5 Finished Product shipment

70

Components are stored in the sites yard for shipment to the project. Opposite some components are awaiting shipment to Blackpool Tower.


3 Contents Case Study Examples

72

_1 New Build Royal Albert Hall - project introduction - design continuity - level of detail _2 Restoration Project Hackney Empire - project introduction - design of lettering - installation and finish _3 New Build One Eagle Place - project introduction - design of faience units - achieving the finish _4 New Build Holburne Museum - project introduction - design choices - impact of use


1 Royal Albert Hall project introduction

74

New Build Royal Albert Hall Kensington Gore, London BDP

As one of the UK’s most celebrated Grade I listed buildings, the restoration programme for the terracotta components on the facade of the Royal Albert Hall and the design of a new south porch to complement the existing, became a prestigious project for the Shaws of Darwen company (Shaws of Darwen, 2010). This project enabled Shaws to produce a level of work to a very high standard, of which was faithful to the hall and would ensure a continuity in design.


1 Royal Albert Hall design continuity

76

The design of the South porch aimed to be of the highest standards so as to be in keeping with the magnificent prowess that is projected by the hall itself. The process occured in two main stages. Intitially, a clay colour was developed and tested to exactly match the current shades of the facade. This was followed by a ‘meticulous survey of every profile, detail and course level’. The second stage witnessed the execution of 120 orthographic drawings, indicating the 8400 terracotta blocks, produced from approximately 800 different types of moulds (Shaws of Darwen, 2010).


1 Royal Albert Hall level of detail

78

Quality and accuracy became important incentives for the team working on this project. Highly skilled sculptors were used to ensure that attention to every last bit of detail was paid - including leaf veins and intricate patterns. The project at the Albert Hall is of particular testament to to the skills of traditional craftsmen (Shaws of Darwen, 2010).


2 Hackney Empire project introduction

80

Restoration & New Build Hackney Empire 291 Mare Street, London Tim Ronalds Architects

The Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, in the London Borough of Hackney, built in 1901 as a music hall. It is a grade II* listed building and was designed by the architect Frank Matcham (Tim Ronalds Architects, no date). After a century’s use, the theatre was in desperate need of renovation and restoration and Tim Ronalds Architects were appointed to the task. Shaws of Darwen won the contract for the supply of Terracotta for both the new build and the restoration (Shaws of Darwen, 2013).


2 Hackney Empire design of the lettering

82

The renovation of the Hackney Theatre involved much replacement terracotta, whereby a total of 634 units for the new build and restoration were produced from 116 different types (Shaws of Darwen, 2013). The design is a composition of signs and structures to echo 19th century theatre posters (Hollis, no date). The letters are made of terracotta too. The largest of the letters is 3.6 metres high and weighs 3.5 tonnes (Shaws of Darwen, 2013). The components were wrapped with protection for transporting and then installed using a mobile crane and scaffolding.

Protection for transportataion

Installation by mobile crane

The units are held by stainless steel channels cast in the reinforced concrete

Cover plates matching the powder coated aluminium were used to mask holes left in the backing plate


2 Hackney Empire installation and finish

84

Large elements of terracotta were individually prepared for precast using stainless steel hedgehog pins and delaminating membrane. Stainless steel reinforced concrete was poured on to the reverse of the terracotta and waffles in the mould formed ribs in the concrete to minimize weight, while maintaining rigidity. The back face of the panels was covered using a water jet cut aluminium profile, powder coated to match the colour of the terracotta (Thorp Precast, no date).


3 One Eagle Place project introduction

86

New Build One Eagle Place St. James’s, London Eric Parry Architects

Designed by Eric Parry Architects the decorated façade of Eagle Place’s redevelopment dominates the surrounding buildings, effectively creating a highly extraverted commercial building type in London. The Eagle Place development has delivered an 11,5000m arrangement of ground floor retail frontage, optimised office spaces, luxurious apartments and a BREEAM Excellent rating (Merrick, 2013). The intention is to integrate the design into a regenerated urban block and at the same time, incorporate a finely crafted and constructed facade of contemporary architectural merit and interest.


3 Number One Eagle Place design of faience units

88

The faience has a wall depth of 40mm and is sized to accommodate the tolerances of a fired material. The units incorporate complex stooling, reveals and running moulds that repeat over the six sections of the faรงade (Merrick, 2013). To embed the units into a lime mortar and create a continuous sealed surface, the structural substrate has to be stiff and a movement structure was designed to achieve this. To allow movement to happen, and to accommodate the thermal expansion of the faience and the plasticity of lime mortar, a meticulously designed support system lies inbetween (Merrick, 2013).

1. 40mm faience tiles, twice fired and transfer glazed 2. Rigid insulation to achieve 0.1B W/m2k U-Value 3. Continuous Horizontal cavity at Storey Level 4. Continuous horizontal component cavity barrier 5. Raised access floor on composite structural floor slab 6. Suspended ceiling with integrated blindbox and supply grille 7. 40mm faience tiles, oncefired hand-applied glaze 8. Lime mortar pointed joints with weep hole and soffit 9. Composite DGU


3 Number One Eagle Place achieving the finish

90

One Eagle Place has a 25m-long cornice designed by the artist Richard Deacon, comprising of 39 sculptural faience sections with a randomly patterned design of 30 different vibrant colours (Mara, 2013). Deacon’s designs were transferred onto the components using screen-printed decals. The installation team developed the structural supports for the faience, and individual pieces were created using a clay slip casting process. The pieces were then hand finished with leathers and knives and placed in a humidity dryer before applying the glaze. The faience panels have a white glaze, overlaid with Deacon’s dynamic screen printed transfers (Mara, 2013).


4 Holburne Museum project introduction

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New Build Holburn Museum of Art Great Putney Street, Bath Eric Parry Architects

A successful example of merging a newbuild project with the existing historical surroundings is the Holburne Museum, home to the varied collection of artefacts collected by Sir William Holburne. (Shaws Terracotta, 2014). The extension of the building was a result of an open competition by the Holburne Museum Trust. Eric Parry Architects were appointed as the architects for the refurbishment of the museum while working closely with Shaws Architectural Terracotta. The proposal includes the provision of new gallery spaces, archives, educational and visitor facilities (Shaws Terracotta, 2014).


4 Holburne Museum design choices

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The redevelopment required lightness and reflectivity in the facade. This led to the idea of using ceramic or terracotta cladding. The new extension is a glass and terracotta facade with irregular perpendicular fins swooping down from the top floor towards the ground floor. As opposed to the suggested look of the bath stone, Eric Parry Architects used a dark blue green terracotta face, which seems to merge with and reflect the surrounding foliage and the Sydney Gardens, attracting both conflict and appreciation. The suspended vertical fins add an interesting visual feature to the elevations in contrast with the striking glass (Shaws Terracotta, 2014).


4 Holburne Museum impact of use

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The new facade brings about a beautiful play of light, even when viewed from a distance. Additionally, the fins give a foliage appearance, and the glass creates a water like impression beautifully complimenting the contrasting materials. While this is a neoclassical building, there are intended visual distortions such as the fins appearing longer than they are and irregularly placed. In terms of present minimalism, the multi layered elevation design may appear far from being minimalist; however, the craftsmanship and technology used here is commendable and has been deemed an achievement, especially the corner detailing (Shaws Terracotta, 2014).


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0 References

4 References

from all sections

from all sections

Hollis R. (No date) Hackney Empire. Richard Hollis. [Online] [Accessed on 30th April] http://www.richardhollis.com/design-with-artists-architects/hackneyempire

experience/index.html

Mara, F. (2013) Colour and Text: Fifty Shades of Anything but Grey. [Online] [Accessed on 12th May 2014] http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/specification/ colour-and-texture-fifty-shades-of-anything-but-grey/8652108.article Merrick, J. (2013) A Mayfair Dandy: Eagle Place by Eric Parry. Architect’s Journal. [Online] [Accessed on 12th May 2014) http://www.architectsjournal. co.uk/buildings/a-mayfair-dandy-eagle-place-by-eric-parry/8650156.article Shaws of Darwen. (2013) New Build. [Sales Brochure] Publisher details not available. Shaws of Darwen. (2010) Craftmanship at its very finest since 1897 [Sales Brochure] Publisher details not available. [Online] [Accessed on 3rd May 2014] http://www.shaws-terracotta.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/shawsbrochure-2010.pdf Shaws Terracotta. (2014) Craftsmanship and Experience. [Online] [Accessed on 1st May 2014] http://www.shaws-terracotta.co.uk/services/craftsmanship-and-

Shaws Terracotta. (2014) Shaws for New Build. [Online] [Accessed on 1st May 2014] http://www.shaws-terracotta.co.uk/services/new-build/index.html Shaws Terracotta. (2014) The Blog – Holborne Museum, Bath. [Online] [Accessed on 5th May 2014] http://www.shaws-terracotta.co.uk/the-blog/holburne-museumbath/index.html Stratton, M. (1997) Structure and Style: Conserving Twentieth Century Buildings. London: E. & F. Spon Thorp Precast. (No date) Hackney Empire, London. [Online] [Accessed on 2nd May 2014] http://www.thorpprecast.co.uk/uploads/90150_Hckney%20Empire%20Cse%20 Studypdf.pdf Tim Ronalds Architects. (No date). Hackney Empire. [Online] [Accessed on 30th April] http://www.timronalds.co.uk/projects-hackney.html Wilson, J. (2014) Shaws Architectural Terracotta and Faience. University of Manchester, Manchester, 27th January.


5 Contributors continuity in architecture students 2013-2014

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Jawaher Alabdulla Sarah Capper Helen Cross Michael Crozier Tom Dewey Joe Fowler Holly Hadfield Laura Hayes Adam Jones David Jones Alia Paschali Nurfatinah Rashidee Samuel Rutter


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Introduction

Develop schemes for the revival of Withington Baths in a bid to save the important community institution The community surrounding Withington Baths in south Manchester are being asked to give their ideas on the future of the building. The pool and gym on Burton Road is due to close after new facilities to be built by the council open in 2015. But members of the Love Withington Baths group are campaigning for it to stay open as a pool and gym run by the community. They have started a charitable organisation and are looking for people to give their ideas on what facilities they would like to see within the existing historical building. As students of continuity in architecture, we focus upon the sustainable design of new buildings and public spaces within the historic city and interventions within existing structures. To develop our ideas initially we went on two site visits which included a guided tour around the historical baths and a trip to the Biospheric Foundation in Salford. This is a group committed to developing a complex ecological infrastructure that could support a new approach to food production and consumption, based around a fundamental belief in the need for access to locally grown, sustainably produced food in deprived urban communities. While the existing pool would be kept, the group is looking for suggestions as to how other parts of the building should be used and what services people think would benefit the community most. In groups of 3 the students of event 20 developed schemes and ideas for the revival of Withington Baths. The project developed were that of a cafe, spa and treatment facilities, multiple uses in the building such as a crèche and computer suite and a project linked with ideas researched at the Biospheric Foundation. We hoped that through developing ideas for Withington baths and promoting awareness about the building we can help prevent the closure of the local swimming baths. Through visiting the historical baths and with a trip to the Biospheric foundation we hoped to broaden people’s scope on the possibilities for old buildings and their possible future uses.


Event 20 - Save Withington Baths Session Plan

EVENTS 2014 Event (20) Love Withington Baths

The Save Withington Baths campaign formed in January 2013 in response to the Manchester City Council announcement of proposed immediate closure of the 103 year old community Withington Baths and Leisure Centre. Love Withington Baths ultimate goal is a revitalised, restored and reinvigorated centre which still has an active used swimming pool and gym, but also incorporates other activities, community rooms and other potential uses. Coordinators Laura Hayes Jawaher Alabdulla Alia Paschali Nurfatinah Rasidee Session Date and Time: Wednesday, 30 April 2014, 10 AM Session Location: Manchester School of Architecture, 8th Floor open space Session Objectives - Analysing the nature and qualities of the existing situation to develop appropriate solutions. - Innovation and creative re-use of the spaces within the historical building. - Developing sustainable strategies and proposing how the spaces can be utilised for public use to support the community. Session Plan Session 1 Wed, 30 April

Session 2 Fri, 02 May

Session 3 Tue, 06 May, 10 AM Session 4 Wed, 07 May, 10 AM Session 5 Thur, 08 May, 10 AM Session 6 Mon, 12 May, 10 AM

Session Materials Pens, Plans, Tracing, Camera.

10 AM, meeting in Chatham, 6th floor room 611. Introduction to CIA atelier approach and the Withington Bath Building. Explaining the event objectives and the sessions plan. 2 PM, visiting Biospheric Foundation in Salford to explore ecological solutions for innovative agricultural spaces and indoor food systems. 1 PM, meeting in Chatham, 6th floor room 611 discussing the student’s research. 3 PM, meeting at Withington Baths, taking photos, recording findings..etc. 11 AM, meeting in Chatham, 6th floor room 611. Show us intial ideas and try to finalise. 11 AM, meeting in Chatham, 6th floor room 611. Develop and start A1 presentation boards. 11 AM, meeting in Chatham, 6th floor room 611. Develop. 11AM, meeting in Chatham, 6th floor room 611. Show and tell. Present final A1 presentation boards.


Withington Baths Withington Baths has a datestone of 1911 and located on Burton Road. The building was designed by Henry Price (1867-1944), City Council architect, who, at a later date, designed Withington Public Library. The style combines elements of Art Nouveau and the Arts and Crafts movement. The Baths had separate entrances for men and women. Despite this, it was the first Baths in Manchester to allow mixed bathing (in 1914). However the bath is due to close after new swimming pool has been proposed by the council and will open in 2015. Local resident, including many of the baths’ youngest patrons gathered to protest against proposal. If the closure does go ahead, local families will lose valuable and affordable facilities including a pool, gym, fitness classes and most importantly a focal point for the community. The pool has been a venue for family to enjoy their weekend together and the children often use the bath for swimming lessons. In conclusion, the bath is an important place for the people of Withington and should be retained.

Interior View

Original Plan

Original Elevation

Exterior View


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Withington Baths Cafe - Vicente Fuster and Oliver Thomas Withington Baths is a vibrant communal facility utilized by a large local population. The government deems the baths unsuitable, but certain reformulations to the building’s current structure can assist to meet more of the needs of the public. Most of the government’s concerns involve the swimming pool; there is minimal room around it and no seating area, hence preventing observation of children by parents or guardians during their time in the pool. This means parents tend to crowd around the poolside, thus restricting circulation for lifeguards, making the environment potentially unsafe. This proposal seeks to rectify this situation by renovating the unused caretaker’s section and transforming it into a cafe. The cafe’s location and large glass windows allows parents to view the whole swimming pool, thus they can leave their children at the pool and socialize with other parents, while still keeping an eye on them. Existing ground floor plan

Conceptual visual

Proposed ground floor plan


Event 20 - Save Withington Baths Withington Biospheric Baths - Dylan Luke, Yoon Nam and Zana Sanjawi Sustainability and food growth within urban environments are two concepts of increasing importance to present-day society. This proposal aims to maintain Withington Baths’ existing functions and utilise spaces which are currently unused. In this way, the proposal aims to create a symbiosis of two very different building usages. Withington Baths will still house a pool and a gym, as well as accommodate a number of sustainable urban food production schemes and systems. As part of these experimental urban growing methods, the building will also house an organic shop / cafe, which will spill out into the forest garden. The shop / cafe will sell organic produce, either grown on site or sourced from ethical organic shops. The Biospheric Foundation in Salford was a key driver behind this proposal; the site visit undertaken and the tour given to us by Vincent Walsh, Director and Founder of the Biospheric Foundation, proved invaluable. Proposed ground floor plan

Conceptual visual

Proposed first floor plan


Withington Treatment Centre - Mashael Almusleh, Diana Cocosila and Monty Dobney This proposal for Withington Leisure Centre uses the existing building but introduces an innovative new programme: a rejuvenating treatment centre, that would host facilities aimed at the occupants’ well being. The focal point of the treatment centre is an exotic pool area containing greenery, an in-pool aquarium and jacuzzis for each treatment type. Overlooking the pool area is a relaxing lounge and on the other side there is a sauna. Adjacent to the sauna will be a medicinal planting area, where herbs and natural remedies can be found. This proposal aims to attract more people to use the facilities in Withington Baths and benefit from its services. The proposed treatment centre in Withington Baths can be closely linked to the nearby local hospitals and act as a communal and social treatment area for the area’s local polulation and not only. Proposed ground floor plan

Conceptual visual


Event 20 - Save Withington Baths Make the Baths last - Fazal Ahmed, Irsa Imran and Jack Whetton This proposal is a mixed use programme that occupies currently unused spaces within the Withington Leisure Centre. In keeping with the building’s current uses, the proposed functions of the space are to work with the local primary schools that currently use the centre for swimming lessons. On the ground floor, the proposal introduces a creche, which can be used as a day-time nursery and an after-school club. Key design elements of this space are partitions and sliding doors, to keep the space as flexible and adaptable as possible. The proposal also transforms the landscape to make the transition between inside and outside smoother, hence making the centre more welcoming. An open plan space for educational use is also introduced on the first floor; it features an urban rooftop garden and smaller rooms to work with it so that pupils can learn first hand. Proposed ground floor plan

Sketch of the creche area


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