This thesis project is under Contentious Heritage research strand which focus on the connection between the past use of a building and the architectural strategy of re-use. The poor working and living conditions, the shocking life expectancy, child labour, and poor sanitation from the industrial revolution define the contentious heritage in Bradford.
Together with Areeje Sherllalah, our thesis project focus on finding the appropriate balance between preserving the awful memory of the industrial revolution, to remember the traumas of the buildings past whilst providing an opportunity to add to Bradford’s contemporary identity and goals for the future.
Though there are countless mills remaining in Bradford with similar conditions, losing touch with the City and falling to ruin, we choose three derelict mills to be analysed and explored at an urban scale and a smaller scale to understand the immediate context and the relationship between the Mills and the City. With our pattern book, we use textile terminology to uncover some aspects that missing from the urban fabric and uncover the potential patterns in the existing fabric to understand the building use and the potential within each derelict Mills.
Starting with Midland Mill, we use Sebastiano Serlio’s set design to pick 6 scene with different key historic stories and make some adjustments to fill the density within the master plan. At the end of the project, we focus on “ The Period of Redemption” view, as we design some building facades and define the public spaces between the buildings.
The design elements within this view aim to empower children, to make a site that has experienced a shift to improving children’s rights for their creativity and energy to run wild, unrestricted
