Unit H

City Land Process

Keita Tajima, Rhianon Morgan-Hatch

The territory of Alentejo, a region in the south of Portugal, has formed the focus of our investigation for the year. Its land expresses both the past memories and the present activities on its surface; deep holes of marble quarries, dotted lines of olive trees, half exposed cork trees, acres of vine productions and in between, cattle and pigs, portraying the relationship between people and natural systems. We are interested in how materials of the land can be re-thought and formed to express a specific spatial sensibility and experience, enriching our architectural approach to the city and design of spaces whilst revealing the intricacies of a place.

The cities and towns of Alentejo, and their inhabitants, have a cultural identity formed by an embedded relationship with their surroundings. The knowledge of their land and its resources is a product of their interconnected rural, agricultural and industrial heritage. However, with rural populations decreasing due to migration towards the Portuguese cities, we have examined the potential space that is left behind, using this void as a catalyst for future speculation. Our re-imagining of this territory comes at a particularly poignant time in Portuguese history, where its inhabitants have the potential to shape its future - safeguarding the genuine, vital energies of the region.

Students have worked with the one of three sites with differing conditions and resources (city extension, urban room, city void). Through investigation into the networks of resources in the region; earth, lime, cork, ceramics, wheat, stone (marble, granite), olive oil, cheese and wine, they have uncovered the makers, processes and associated architectural and urban/rural qualities that have assisted with a wider understanding of the cultural make-up of the region. Students have investigated and proposed models of educational/cultural spaces and infrastructures that act as a medium to enrich the relationship between the city, its inhabitants and the landscape.

Students:

Year 2 Harry Zimmerman, Kalin Petrov, Theodor Bjerke, Zahraa Shaikh, Yessica Rincon Toro, Sachini Palliyaguruge, Leticia Martins, Jessica Corelli, Alfie Hatch, Rositsa vaugelova, Zeena Ismai, Julian Imossi, Zaira Ramos Banaag Year 3 Nisha Anwar, Fillipos-parlos-Perrakis -kollias, Stefania Loaiza , Israa Salim , Aaliah tailor , Julian Roncancio Luna, Olive Odagby , Naghma Butt , Omar Harrack , Bibblav Limbu

Visiting Crits:

Adam Cheltov, Tony Fretton, Charlotte Harris, Christoph Hadrys, Andrew Houlton, Francesca Leibowitz, Phillipa Longson, Legend Morgan, Carlotta Novella, Catherine Spence, Colin O’Sullivan, Christopher Thorn, Mo Woonyn Wong

Special thanks to:

The students from Cass studio 2, Aurora Carapinha and Rute Sousa (University of Evora), Pedro Jervel, Francisco and Flora Di Martino(Skrei), Armando Quintas and staff from CECHAP, Adrian Forty, Matthew Barnett-Howland, Catheirne Phillips , Mark Sowdon, Zoe Hodgson, Gaynor Zealy, Daryl Brown , Reem Charif, Michele Roelofsma, Kevin Adorni

Previous page h.1 Map of 3 cities (Evora, Redondo, Vila Viçosa) in Alentejo in Portugal, Jessica Corelli h.2 Material assembly model by unit h students

Vila Viçosa : h.3 Formaer railway station in Vila Viçosa and their architectural remains h.4 Site observation drawing for formaer railway station in Vila Viçosa by Leticia Martin h.5 Drawing to imagine Italo Calvino’s invisible city by Yessica Rincon Toro h.6 Exploring spatial sequence by mono print. Zeena Ismailh.7 Proposal for sculpture workshop, sketch view by Zeena Ismail h.8 Structural model exploring waste marble block and timber frame by Julian Imossi h.09 Proposed passage fo rammed earth wall towards scuplture workshop view by Zeena Ismail10 Proposed olive oil making facility in Vila Viçosa intenal view by Fillippos Pavlos Perrakis-Kollia Ss h.11 Proposed sculpture workshop at former railway station plan by Zeena Ismail h.12 Proposed horse stable and riding facility section by Julian Imossi

Redondo : h.13 Abandoned olive oil factory facade in Redondo, etching by Jessica Corelli h.14 Joao, One of the remaining pottery makers and his workshop in Redondo h.15 Axonometric showing hidden city yard in former olive oil factory in Redondo by Jessica Corelli h.16 City square strategic cast model by Rositsa Vangelova h.17 Proposed space for honey maker in Redondo, internal view by Jessica Corelli h.18 Kintsugi inspired repairing experiment by Kalin Petrov h.19 Light cutting through between new structure and old walls, section by Yessica Rincon Toro

a3 h.4

h.5 h.6

h.9

h.10 h.11

h.13 h.14

h.15 h.16

Redondo: h.20 scaled and 1:1 handmade tiles by Yessica Rincon Toro h.21 Proposed internal view, Julian David Roncancio Luna h.22 Proposed elevation, Yessica Rincon Toroa23 Proposed Dye garden model by Kalin Petrov a24 Survey sketch by Kalin Petrov a25 Proposed Dye garden axonometric by Kalin Petrov

Evora and Quinta Da Malagueira : a26 Existing rural farming landscape, etching by Stefania Ortiz Loaiza a27 Exploration of spatial and material quality of rammed earth, group work ,photo montage by Aaliah Tayor a28, 29 Model for proposed community kitchen garden and community space by Zaira Ramos Banaag a30 Axonomentric view of community kitchen and olive oil making facilities by Stefania Ortiz Loaiza a31 Section by Alfred Hatch a32,33 Model for proposed architectural fragments to create a journey through landscape by Alfred Hatch a34 view by Alfred Hatch a35 View to Quinta Da Malagueira by Alfred Hatch a36 Axonometric view of the proposed community barn within Quinta Da Malagueira by Nisha Anwar a37 View to the proposed community barn by Nisha Anwar

h.19

h.20

h.21

h.23 h.24

h.28 h.26 h.27

h.29

h.31

h.32 h.33

h.35