Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, MAKE & MEND!
This project has been designed to encourage the local human and non-human communities to engage and connect with each other. It is key for the community to be strongly connected for it to become resilient and be able to adapt to the soon approaching impacts of climate change. This is achieved through the programme of the project, a Fab Lab, made up of workshops, co-working spaces, a library, and a main hall. These spaces, along with a Café upstairs, provide the knowledge, tools, and materials necessary for the community to Make or Mend any products they want by recycling, reducing, and reusing materials.
Moreover, the infrastructure of the proposal provides sheltered and open spaces for locals to enjoy together all-year-round. Additionally, a thorough landscape strategy ensures there are rewilded and protected spaces for non-humans throughout the site. This enhances local biodiversity, improves well-being of local humans, and reduces project environmental impacts.
Furthermore, the project’s focus on climate change and impact on non-humans is reflected through the fabric of the building in many ways. The envelope is composed of low carbon, natural materials including hemp and wood fibre insulation, timber (glulam, CLT, pine) and corrugated hemp cladding. It is designed to minimise cold bridges, achieve Passivhaus compliant U-Values and reduce operational carbon emissions. Shallow stone slab foundations are chosen as opposed to reinforced concrete, to reduce embodied carbon. Lastly, the building components are selected and assembled with end-of-life cycle in mind. They could be disassembled and reassembled in an alternative location, the building could be retrofitted, or the components could be recycled and reused for other buildings or products.
Lastly, the graphic design of the project communicates the creative essence of the Make and Mend programme through the visual communication of the spaces and the language of drawings, renders, and diagrams.
