6.1 __ re . pur . pose Sandra Ababio-Danso The Grade II listed building was commissioned in 1823 by George and Robert Stephenson, along with three partners, as the world’s first purpose built locomotive works on Forth Banks, Newcastle upon Tyne. 20 South Street is where Robert Stephenson’s engineering works gave birth to the railway age. The famous steam engines ‘Locomotion’ and ‘Rocket’ were built there and the works subsequently exported locomotives to developing railways all over the world. The South Street Works which has been restored and preserved are the former office block and the former boiler and plate shop. The present day frontage of 20 South Street and the former offices of Robert Stephenson & Co’s locomotive works has also been saved. A large mezzanine floor, over part of the boiler and plate shop has also been restored. The brief is to design a facility for repurposing and/or creative reuse. The scheme will be open to the public and will be the token space offering the learning of and return to the art of traditional photography. It will operate day and night; being activated at night by the cafe, shop and galleries and at day by the darkrooms, studios and workshops. catering to professionals and amateurs of the art of traditional photography. The art of traditional photography is a gratifying creative process. One is entirely involved in every process, that is, from conception of an idea to capturing the image to the final stage of developing the image. A nice change of pace compared to digital photography where images are produced instantaneously. The intervention aims to facilitate this by providing darkrooms, studios,workshops and material/chemical store. The intervention also aims to be activated through a gallery, shop, cafe and repair shop that will cater to photographers and the general public simultaneously. These facilities will operate both day and night. The design philosophy was to create layers. That is, the existing building is a depiction of the Industrial age of the 1800’s; thus being a representation of particular time. The intervention will employ the material and design technology of the present to also create a portrayal of the present age. This will then create what I call layers of two different time periods through contrast of material, technology and design language.
Existing Site Photography
The photography series, titled the Eden Project was done to learn the process of traditional black and white photography. Taking the role of a photographer gives a better understanding of the process and this understanding informs the design process. The techniques of traditional photography was employed, such shooting subjects which are in contrast to their immediate surroundings. The play of light and dark is vital to photography and all these findings are translated into the design schemes.
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All cameras must prevent light from reaching the film. effective light seals are shown in fig.4. The layout used in camera technology to keep the dark in. The history of Stephenson Works, the buildigs usage through time has always been adaptive, yet the facade is permanent. fig.5 explores the concept of adaptability . The use of a simple shape to showcase the adaptability of an existing building; 1an object , 2broken into different dimensions, 3re assembled into almost any arrangement but it remains 4true to its original form. Contrasting to create time layers. fig.6 The existing speaks of an Industrial era, and the era is communicated through the building material used. Thus there has been a time layer created. The concept of using materials that communicate of the modern technologies and building materials.
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