human:nature
brief:
In my third-year studio project, my approach to the atelier agenda was to separate humans and nature for the benefit of nature over time. I developed a brief to create a dense but delightful apartment building to address the affordable housing deficit in the UK. As well as this, my building contained a public strip including commercial units with a focus on ceramics, inspired by the hidden history of brickworks on the site.
position:
The site consisted of two sides, separated by the River Medlock: an existing green side and a car park. My position, quite controversially, decided to build on the existing natural side due to the adjacent under-utilised Holt Town tram stop. My design aimed to reduce and contain the human footprint of the site into a slim, dense profile along the tram line. The challenge of this, such as the noise and views, was addressed with a barrier wall containing circulation and services. In between this and the main building, a pathway was created which is connected to an existing footpath.
Barriers were formed to prevent humans from accessing the rest of the site, allowing nature to thrive. The derelict concrete car park was initially designed to be restricted for humans, but after watching the film Brachen of Berlin, I realised the resilience of urban nature. If left alone, the car park could re-grow into a space in which nature can thrive with some human contact.
interests:
In my projects, I prefer hand drawing and model making as I enjoy the tangible and intuitive nature of it. In this particular project, I explored a tactile facade detail consisting of textured tiles that were developed through a series of models.
Please check out my Instagram and LinkedIn profile for more examples of my work!
