Our site is in Sheffield’s most international neighbourhood, Attercliffe, where around 10% of the population cannot speak English well or at all. Communication struggles lead to social exclusion and inequality, which affect the area’s living standards. Migrant women in the UK are the most isolated social group, with language as the main barrier. The general concept of the project is based on the existing charity Furnival, which provides English courses for immigrant women and children from diverse backgrounds, focused on building confidence in language and improving understanding of daily life in a new country. The proposed community centre is intended to ‘uplift’ the marginalised community of immigrant women local to the site by giving voice to those often overlooked. Moreover, it will provide users with support, companionship, and confidence to engage with a wider society.
My project explores using building materials acquired through non-monetary exchange to create affordable housing and combat the housing crisis. Using cheaper, locally existing materials is the most sustainable way to achieve global net-zero goals. Adopting a material-first approach to design, I aimed my project towards holistic sustainability, meaning taking into account the material sourcing, transportation and construction, primarily tailoring the design for local reclaimed materials. The building’s walls store unwanted household materials, such as discarded packaging, denim, and car tyres, serving as insulation to improve environmental performance.
The core of my project is based around the concept of degrowth, with a key focus on passive design. Early design decisions such as orientation, form factor, and glazing significantly reduce the operational cost of the building, conserving energy and preventing fuel poverty. High-performing and innovative energy systems further reduce the building’s energy demand, making it resilient against the unknown future.
