Aerial Threads

Aerial Threads

Introduction

Deprivation Fairness

Homelessness

Site

Axonometric

Precedents

Elemental’s Half houses

Lacaton and Vassal

Nagakin Capsule tower

Social Urbanism in Columbia

UN Sustainable Development Goals

Speculative Section

Conceptual Modelling

Manifesto - Work in Progress

Connectivity

Speculative Site Plan

Framework Exploration at 1:100

Inhabited home

Segal Method

Capsule Exploration at 1:10

Art through Panels

Conclusion

Brighton

Located in East Sussex, is a city characterized by its transformation from a quiet fishing village in the 18th century to a thriving seaside resort town. Its popularity grew when King George IV built the extravagant Royal Pavilion in the early 19th century, drawing high society to the area. In the Victorian era, the city continued to develop as a popular holiday destination. Later, in the 20th century, Brighton became known for its vibrant LGBTQ+ community and cultural diversity, cementing its reputation as a welcoming and progressive city.

It is a dynamic and culturally rich coastal city known for its diverse cultural scene, historic landmarks, vibrant nightlife, and inclusive atmosphere. It’s a popular destination for tourists and a hub for creativity and innovation.

However under all the sunshine and lollipops, Brighton struggles with a variety of social issues. Some of the main problems include: Housing affordability, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, inequality, youth and education. The following pages delve into deprivation and how there is a divide in the quality of life for the residents of the city. The analysis will look at some of the issues and potential solutions that can be used to improve the city with a grassroots approach.

Overall Deprivation

Since the 1970s, the ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and its predecessors have calculated local measures of deprivation in England. This is known as the English Indices of Deprivation.

Like many urban areas in the UK there is a high number of deprivation in Brighton however there is quite a disparity with certain areas being quite economically successful partly due to location and history while others, often linked to social housing estates are in high deprivation areas. The latter population may come across housing inequalities, education disparity, healthcare limitations and more. You can see the most deprived areas in the next few pages.

Income

Proportion experiencing deprivation due to low income. Includes out of work individuals and those who are at work with low incomes.

Employment

Measure of working age population who are involuntarily excluded from labour market. This includes individuals unemployed as a result of unemployment, sickness, disability or caring responsibility.

Health and Disability domain

Measures poor quality of life due to poor physical and mental health. This looks into morbidity, disability and premature mortality.

Crime Domain

Personal and material victimisation in local area.

Barriers to Housing and Services

Physical and financial accessibility for housing. This is split into geographical barriers (Physical proximity to services) and wider barriers (Affordability and homelessness)

Education, Skills and training

Lack of attainment in skills in local population. This includes statistics related to children and adults.

Living environment

Quality of environment split into the Indoor (Quality of housing) and outdoor (Air quality, congestions, traffic accidents and more)

Least 0-40% Percentile

Median 0-60% Percentile

Most 0-100% Percentile

Overall Deprivation

Education, Skills and Training

Least 0-40% Percentile

Median 0-60% Percentile

Most 0-100% Percentile

Barriers to Housing and Services

Hanover and Elm Grove

located to the east of central Brighton, a little further up the coast. The area has a hilly topography and is filled with dense colourful terraces, small shops, architecturally significant buildings and locations to the area as well as post war high rise council estates.

Historically the narrow street and lack of cars post war made it a friendly place for children to play on the street. There were lack of public areas for recreation and many of the children used the spaces for football, cards, running around and plenty of other activities. The safety of the place also made it easy for parents to send children on errands.

Moulsecoomb

Originally a large empty plot, Moulsecoomb was acquired in a “land grab” in the 1920s. the area then became the site for the development of the Moulsecoomb housing estate. Following the war a multitude of families moved there and many of those growing up and going to school around there during the 50s had an enjoyable time.

Unfortunately Moulsecoomb is known for its high crime rate and deprivation. It is unknown if the housing is still remains public or has become private following the right to buy scWheme. Contrast to this many of the residents in the area prefer to see Moulsecoomb as a characterful place where you may get funny encounters.

Beside housing on a hilly terrain, the north of Moulsecoomb has a small industrial park and university campus.

Whitehawk

Located in east Brighton, Whitehawk is a large estate of modern homes. Similar to moulsecoomb, Whitehawk is known for its crime and deprivation and just like the aforementioned it adds character to the neighbourhood and residents, who ironically find it safe and welcoming. Many of the more deprived and lower income neighbourhoods tend to feel safe as there is a strong community around such areas.

Historycally Whitehawk hills were known for horse racing way back in the 19th century. Until the 1920s Whitehawk mostly consisted of farms, piggeries, allotments and playing fields.

These three sites were looked at further in depth due to their levels of overall deprivation. Google street view was used to have an initial look at the housing typology. One noticeable occurrence was the similar styled social housing found throughout the sites. A lot of these sites are also historically social housing estates. From this initial look it was interesting to see how the further out we move away from the city centre the more dull and dreary the city becomes (See collage on right). The distinct look of the city seems to slowly disappear into these more deprived locations.

As you move away from the tourist locus more rigid forms appear. Tower blocks and social housing estates antagonised for their social stigma ignored by those who ought to help them.

Fairness in Brighton

Brighton and hove may seem like a distinct lively city in the UK however within there are many people who are deprived. There is tourism and activity but many resident often those who grew up in the local area don’t have the same opportunity. An appalling example is how in certain areas a third of the children’s families don’t have enough to live on. Reasons for these issues include: High cost of housing (rent), Low pay, Lack of work skills, Poor physical and mental health

The following is a summary of the key issues researched based on the reports from the Brighton fairness commission. It is a mix of issues currently in Brighton seen by the residents, community groups and local businesses. The research was carried out as interviews and summaries describing the stakeholders views.

Community Obstacles

There’s a strong need for community enablement in Brighton and hove this is more important in the deprived areas. There are a lack of community centres and similar places for people to socialize and work with each other to improve their localities. On top of this many residents believe that the public buildings, minibuses, and community spaces are not being used appropriately enough to reach more people.

“Be a lot more supportive when residents come up with ideas and plans. There’s far too much of a computer-says-no attitude in the council. Stop making grand plans then asking for consultation. Turn that round the other way. People often know their own area best of all. Get residents in decision making process much earlier and do it all in plain English”

The need for a community is more important for certain groups such as elderly and disabled as their requirements can easily be ignored compared to the majority.

The suggested solutions were:

• Help communities gain skills and knowledge

• Involve communities In decision making

• Each locality requires area for activity and events

• Let people use unused public buildings

• Funds for community groups

Travelling

It’s difficult for many people to travel around the city; more so in areas further out towards the north east and north west from the city centre. There are many suburbs that have had their bus routes cut off. These include example such as meadow view, Bristol estate, Goldstone valley and many more scattered around the city.

Many residents believed that transport around Brighton was one of the most important issues to resolve and they linked this lack of accessibility to social isolation of certain groups from people who had better access in the least deprived areas.

“Focusing support on and empowering the poorer, more deprived communities of Brighton & Hove, including those who have limited access to those resources that come as given or are taken for granted by communities or individuals who are more privileged. Improving transport to those not living in central Brighton, putting a cap on cost of public transport to make travel more affordable”

With Brighton’s cost of housing increasing more and more people have to move further out the city and beyond and the lack of transport links makes it really difficult for travelling and commuting within and in and out of the city.

The suggested solutions were:

• Improved transport links

throughout the city

• Alternative methods of trans port (Trams, underground?)

• Community transport for elderly and disabled (e.g. organized minibuses)

• Lower bus fares

Accessible

city

“Make it a walking & cycling & wheelchair accessible city”

Locals believe that there is a current issue with obstacles in paving for people to walk around the city. There are obstructions on pavement from cyclists, Cars being parked, A boards from shops and more. All these mixed together create a challenging environment for elderly, disabled and those with children to navigate throughout. The scale of Brighton’s built environment has been designed to be walkable and resident appreciate that however the obstructions (of mainly cars), uneven pavement and cyclists not using the road it makes it very difficult.

Suggested Solutions were:

• Increase communal ameni ties

• More benches for resting

• Accessible toilets

• More water fountains and similar nodes spread out

• Community spaces such as libraries for learning, socializing and more

• Raise awareness for street clutter

• Access audit for commerce (Prioritise businesses geared toward an accessible service)

Green and Clean Spaces

Accessibility of public spaces should go beyond essential amenities and maintenance. Although resident believe that they also have a responsibility to preserve and keep their spaces clean the council should still be responsible for rubbish and recycling which is lacking.

There is also a lack of investment in public spaces and parks throughout the city. More funding is provided for tourist centred destination parks and the remaining are ignored.

“Treat all public parks equallybudgets - local parks get less money than ‘destination parks’, e.g. Hove Lawns & Hove Park vs Hangleton Park. NOT FAIR!”

Suggested solutions were:

• Equal funding on all public parks and spaces

• Create a “friends of park” network throughout the city to collaborate with each other

Housing

Housing is the largest issue in Brighton affecting the majority of residents. The city’s active life and seaside vibrancy in summer results in an influx of people purchasing

property. On top of this selfish and ignorant landlords with the lack of available housing results in really high rent compared to an average salary. The housing conditions are terrible with a constant mention of damp, cold spots and vermin in many homes across the city. The below two examples given by Brighton residents explain this inequality in housing.

“One of the city’s top priorities is housing. I live in a privately rented one bed flat. It’s small, it’s mouse infested, there’s damp, and yet I accept it as one of best flats I’ve lived in, and don’t want to consider complaining because the risk of being thrown out, because some other poor desperate person would take it.”

“Please do what is possible regarding housing in the city. As a young person living here for the past 7 years I have heard and lived through so many horror stories about very poor quality housing impacting people’s health, very high rents dragging young people into debt or living in overcrowded properties. My partner is a recent graduate Doctor, I am a professional myself, and yet at the age of 27 we have to share a damp crowed house with 4 other people just so that we can all live in the city. We cannot afford the price of moving in terms of admin fees and deposits, even if this was a possibility for any of us. On the small street next to mine 5 of the 8 potential shop fronts are estate agents with expensive cars blocking entry to our street - something which is illustrative of the huge income inequality reaped by the estate agents.”

There is a clear link between homelessness and the constant rising housing costs. Residents knowingly know this yet there is a divide with many believing that tackling homelessness is being prioritized over providing affordable housing for residents while at the same time many residents believing that those who are homeless need more support and accommodation especially during winter. One of the key reasons for Brighton’s homeless crisis is a result of the aforementioned issues with housing leading to those most vulnerable with other issues (mental health, Addiction, lack of support) surrounding homelessness to afford housing strenuous.

• More affordable housing throughout the city with low rent

• Build more social housing

• Protect existing social housing (e.g. stop right to buy landlords that exploit)

• Tackle homelessness by building hostels, temp accommodation (pop ups?)

• Enforce rent control (caps) and landlords

• Tackle cramped and poor quality housing (both rented and council properties)

• Regulate letting agencies

• Regulate buy to let (especially for larger accommodations needed for families)

• Look into empty properties to bring them to use

Be a lot more supportive when residents come up with ideas and plans. There’s far too much of a computer-saysno attitude in the council. Stop making grand plans then asking for consultation.

I live in a privately rented one bed flat. It’s small, it’s mouse infested, there’s damp, and yet I accept it as one of best flats I’ve lived in, and don’t want to consider complaining because the risk of being thrown out, because some other poor desperate person would take it.”

Focusing support on and empowering the poorer, more deprived communities of Brighton & Hove, including those who have limited access to those resources that come as given or are taken for granted by communities or individuals who are more privileged.

Homelessness

One of the largest issues in Brighton is homelessness. Although the focus of the project is to enable improved affordable housing around Brighton, homelessness should not be ignored. There’s various reasons for this issue but housing is directly linked to it. It would be ignorant to provide low income affordable housing without including homeless individuals as one of the stakeholders.

Deaths

In 2022 there were approximately 43 deaths of homeless people. The causes varied and included the following:

• Physical health

• Heart condition

• Cancer

• Accident

• Drugs or alcohol

• Infection

• Stroke

• Overdose

• Suicide

19 of these deaths occurred in supported accommodation while 8 were in ¬emergency shelter. The remaining would have had no accommodation and likely sleeping rough on streets or tents.

Why?

Its easy to blame alcohol and drug abuse as the main cause of homelessness however for many this is a result later on. Often times homeless individuals end up in their situation for various factors but there is a link in Brighton with the inflated house prices, poor support for mental health and massive income inequality. These same statements were repeated by the council which has done nothing but ignore the crisis in Brighton.

Accommodation is seemingly ignored in these cases. Many housing options for homeless tend to be chaotic, dangerous and have a lack of support for individuals. The hostility from landlords as well as the council who should be offering support causes people in most need of help to stay

away and become isolated.

The statement from an unknown Council spokesman said:

“We deeply regret the death of anyone who has found themselves homeless. However, we do not recognise the number of deaths quoted. We do not understand what the figures relate to, or the methods used to collate or verify them. Brighton and Hove does have a housing and homelessness crisis. This is a result of national issues such as an inflated housing market, a lack of affordable housing and increasing wealth inequality.”

Homeless bill of right

Adopted by the city of Brighton in 2018. One of the first UK cities to do so it highlights the humanitarian minimum rights that homeless people should have:

1. THE RIGHT TO HOUSING

2. THE RIGHT TO SHELTER

3. THE RIGHT TO USE PUBLIC SPACE

4. THE RIGHT TO EQUAL TREATMENT

5. THE RIGHT TO A POSTAL ADDRESS

6. THE RIGHT TO SANITARY FACILITIES

7. THE RIGHT TO EMERGENCY SERVICES

8. THE RIGHT TO VOTE

9. THE RIGHT TO DATA PROTECTION 10. THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY

11. THE RIGHT TO SURVIVAL PRACTICES

12. THE RIGHT TO RESPECT FOR PERSONAL PROPERTY

13. THE RIGHT TO LIFE

Observations through Analogue Photography and Notes

To understand Brighton as an outsider I carried out a site visit During the end of September.

This was very generic to get a basic understanding of Brighton, and a couple of the interesting sites derived from initial research to understand the spaces and activity which occur around the city.

Film photography was used to take the main pictures, alongside photos on a smart phone camera. The use of film photography and the notes were used to limit the amount of pictures taken and creating a candid view of how the spaces were used by people instead of fabricating a perception of the places. Ultimately, the visit highlighted the contrast between the active areas such as corner pubs, shops, skateparks etc. and the housing blocks/estates. You can read further on this observation on the analysis of the two axonometric drawings.

To see all other photos please look at Appendix

Analysis through Axonometrics

An initial method to further understand the built environment around Brighton was to focus on two sites around elm grove. The two sites had different scales of buildings with one being very planned while the other feels more organic. Both axonometric were drawn before the site visit, imagining how the place is used by people, using small figures to represent this. Following the visit this changed through the observations and some conversations with the locals.

Albion Hill, an empty masterplan

A - Richmond Heights

Social Housing tower block from post war period, part of the Albion hill masterplan

B - Chates Farm Court

Social housing estate with a stepped form reminiscent of the Neave Browns Alexandra road estate in London. Many of the homes are available to buy on the housing market. Much of this would be due to the right to buy scheme.

C - Cranbrook

Social housing low rise block from post war period, part of the Albion hill masterplan

Albion hill was a large housing estate masterplan built around the 60s, like many other social housing plans from the post war period, it takes inspiration from Corbusier’s modernist typology of large blocks of high rises and shared open green space.

The highlighted path that runs form Chates Farm and down past Richmond heights seemed like perfect route for pedestrian especially in the narrow car filled streets around the city, however my observations contradicted this. Unlike how I imagined the green space being used by children to play games, people picnicking or just conversations; the actual place was empty. The lawn was plain and hilly which is possibly one of the reasons however there was also the constant signs displaying “no ball games” and “no dog walking”. This was the same in one of the earlier tower block estates. there is almost no use of a public space in these areas.

On a more positive note Chates farm

did have some activity in and around the building. A lot of pedestrian used the steps next to the block. Behind the block there was an open garden space with a table and a couple of books left in the open suggesting this are being used to sit, lounge and read. Finally I noticed a lot of people walking up the street toward my next site in Southover street.

Top: back of Chates Farm Court

Bottom: View of tower blocks at albion hill

Southover Street and the importance of third places

D - The Dover Castle Corner pub with decent space inside and outdoor yard which is not as common for all pubs around the area. People can pass time with food drinks, piano and books

E - China Star and Guyatri News Popular Chinese takeaway with regular locals ordering from there. Newsstand and convenience store

F - The Sir Charles Napier Victorian corner pub with drinks, food and outdoor seating. The pub hosts regular quiz nights but is locally well known for hosting various events

Completely distinct from Albion hill and this is just a couple of streets over. South over street and the surrounding streets are much more lively. There are a lot of pedestrians walking around. The time of my visit a few of the pubs such as The sir Charles Napier was closed yet the ones which were open were filled with people. Further down the street there was a community Centre hosting an event later in the evening. This street was closer to my axonometric drawings vision of how the place is used.

There are many social, cultural and possibly political reasons as to why there two sites are different however its clear to see here that the lack of third places in Albion hill could have had a negative effect on the area. Third places are places which are not homes (first) and workplaces (second). Ray Oldenburg, the urban sociologist wrote in his book “the great good place” third places as a neutral ground which encourages social activity, conversation, regularity and a sense of home away form home.

Theres many example of third places depending on the person and location, popular ones could be local pubs, cafes, playgrounds skateparks

(see image and notes on the level (7)) and many more. In the UK the most popular one is the local pub and here around Brighton the corner pub is a staple for the locals. When looking at other tower blocks these third places don’t exists, although communal spaces have been allocated around certain blocks many of these have been converted to low quality apartments to tackle the affordable housing crisis. This is certainly a complex issue where space is limited and having a home is certainly the first priority however ignoring the potential of activity around homes ostracizes the residents form socializing, meeting new people, supporting each other and creating a common.

Top: Street adjacent to southover street

Left: a pub near southover street, perfect example of the coerner pub as a third place

These observations were very intriguing, especially how distinct Albion hill, a housing estate so close to the city centre, is largely unused or even passed by the public, With even the residents themselves keeping to themselves. Of course the observations were carried out in a single day and there could be multiple factors as to why Albion hill was like it was. In the next section, several precedents are shown with analysis on how principals of those existing projects could be applied to areas in Brighton.

Elemental’s Half Houses

Pritzker award winning architect Alejandro Aravena practice, Elemental has some of the best solutions for affordable social housing through its half house projects. Going all the way back to 2002 when they were commissioned to build 100 units for $7500 each. The limited budget constrained the thought process and through community opinions on how the housing should be the outcome were the half houses.

The idea can be traced back to John F.C. Turners writing in Building as a verb in 1972. Turner highlights that housing should not be a static package rather a continuously involved project alongside its residents where it can grow and change to suit peoples needs. This approach would become the sites and services method.

Sites and services schemes essentially approach the issues of housing by focusing on provide the basic infrastructure which may be too specialized a task for people to build, this can include roads, water supply, drainage, electricity etc. While the remainder being the home itself can mostly be built by any unskilled person.

Elementals first half house scheme was Quinta Monroy in Iquique, Chile. The would be residents objected large tower blocks and the final outcome was multiple low rise blocks with spaces in between which can be expanded on at the residents own pace. The homes were laid out in a rectangular form creating courtyards enforcing a communal aspect. The residents can expand their homes at a comfortable space, some would for children, others could do it for possibly a shop. The flexibility of this typology gives choice to people.

Make sure to balance:

Low-rise high density

With Possibility of expansion

Top: Quinta Monroy before residents moved in

Bottom: Quinta Monroy after residents worked on their properties

showing the basic layout of the units.

one floor height.

The upper units are vertical and expand horizontally essentially duplicating the space. The lower unit also expand horizontally but the width of one block at 3m.

Enabling Art

Looking beyond the physical aspects of a canvas scheme such as this, there isn’t much discussion on the creative opportunities from these projects.

Brighton unlike many Industrial brick and mortar cities or traditional villages has a colorful palette reflecting its seaside locus. The pastel colored terraces, street art, public spaces are vibrant and even when going up close to homes, owners of the properties like to display their personalities through painting the walls with expressive patterns or illustrations. Sadly this would not be allowed in a lot of social housing as its owned by the council or housing association. This is where you can see a lot of the contrast between the social housing estates and the private properties.

Left: Collage using figures and properties from brighton (site vist) to create the infill. The expressiveness of the art in brighton provides a similar outcome to the colourful units in chile

Illustration

Elemental uses a 3mx6m Grid based on the cuboid shape at

Lacaton and Vassal Generosity of Space

The work of Anne Lacaton and Jean Phillippe Vassal are great precedents of adaptive reuse. Many of their projects focus on affordable and energy efficient conversions of existing social housing schemes to improve the quality of life.

Their approach is to “never demolish what could be redeemed”. This idea gives the poor architecture a second chance but also gives an insight into what we can do with what we have. One of the biggest advantages with this methodology is costs. Renewing unused or worn spaces will always be more affordable than starting anew, which is one of the main reasons that their projects work hand in hand with affordable and social housing where budgets are stretched to the limits.

Housing means generosity of space and uses.

“buildings are beautiful when people feel well in them, when the light inside is beautiful, and the air is pleasant, when the exchange with the outside seems easy and gentle, and when uses and sensations are unexpected.”

Greenhouses

Influenced by the many greenhouses located around Bordeaux during their studies. the space felt open and light but protected while it also created a bioclimatic advantage for the objects inside but it also links the other aforementioned points, greenhouses and similar structures are economical,

they can be scaled to a large size and easily added onto existing structures. This would be replicated onto their future projects.

A summary of their ethos:

• Generosity of space – Extra space, multiplicity of use, freedom to the users

• Bio Climatic – Max use of natural resources of climate: Sun, light, ventilation, vegetation (winter gardens)

• Economy – Maximize budget, create more with samebudget, prioritizes the essential

• Importance and value of existing - Reuse, transform and reinvent the existing.

Retrofit of the Tour Bois Le Pretre residential building, 2015

MULHOUSE Social Housing, 14 Dwellings, 2005

• Prefabricated construction

• Ground level with concrete construction providing platform to build standardized green houses

• Three rows of greenhouses which are then divided into 14 different apartments

• Every dwelling should have space on the ground floor and space on the first floor

• Large ventilation, shading, thermal curtains

• The aim was to double the space. standard was 100sqm and final space was 187sqm for 1 unit

• From the beginning it was discussed that the rent should not increase due to the space being maximized

• The efficiency of greenhouse was tested over 10 years to prove that it was an efficient living environment.

Top: Exterior of Mulhouse Social housing

Right: Construction of Mulhouse displaying ground floor concrete frame and prefabricated parts

Section: movement of residents based on climate. move down during high temperatures in summer go back up in the evening when its cooler. Examples of different interior spaces. The extra room provides

Metabolism Nagakin Capsule Tower

Borne out of (Kenzo) Tange Lab in Tokyo during the 60s and 70s, Metabolism was a revisionist methodology in approaching architecture. The movement focused on architecture for a changing need, something that would transform and adapt to its environment over time.

A biological term, metabolism, It would represent an organic thinking, its structures would live, grow

and develop with advancement in technology, changing environment and fear of destruction. Unlike the more radical movements in the west such as Archigram, Metabolist visions did come to fruition on some projects and none is more exemplary than the Nagakin Capsule Tower.

The Architect behind the capsule tower, Kisho Kurakawa, was initially inspired by prefabrication factories

in Russia and during his work at the 1970 world expo for one of the pavilions. This pavilion consisted of steel pipes bent and welded together, within it a number of prefabricated capsules sit connected to the frame. The President of a real estate company, Nagakin Co. who was at the expo would see this and later hire kurokawa to design something in the same methodology.

To put it simply the capsule tower consisted of a concrete base and steel framed towers that would be permanent. The capsules themselves were planned with obsolescence after 25 years as planned by kurokawa.

Initially the tower was successful in gaining its target audience of “homo movens” (Business people looking for short term affordable accommodation) of Japan’s economic

boom however the main issue was once the capsules reached their limit, they never were changed. At this point the capsules deteriorated fast and eventually in 2022 the structure was taken apart and knocked down.

There were many advocates supporting the idea of restoration however when costs were calculated for the restoration of the capsules back in 2007 was three times the cost

Primary Structure

Axonometric illustration of Nagakin capsule tower

Capsules - 140 pre-fabricated capsules made of steel trusses, assembled in a shipping container factory.

Tower - Made of rigid steel frame and lightweight concrete (past the first two floors), the two towers would serve as the vertical means of accessing the building, this would also be the primary structure from which the capsules would be cantilevered.

Concrete base – A rigid concrete platform on the ground with amenities and acting as the entrance to the towers.

of the property at 8.8 million Yen. This was just not economically viable, although symbolic in architecture, there wasn’t any benefit from the point of view of the users and owners to keep these capsules or replace them as Kurokawa intended, thus the majority had voted against it. Luckily in 2010, the company behind the demolition of the capsule tower filed for bankruptcy extending the life of the beloved monument a little longer.

Capsule Architecture

The capsules themselves are 2.5m x 4m x 2.5m, they were built off site and manufactured using a steel truss structure, made by the manufacturer of shipping containers.

The micro apartment inside mainly included bed, furniture, built in TV, desk and bathroom. Although not great for a permanent living accommodation especially in the UK, the thought of maximising the small space inside helps when applying this procedure for temporary accommodation. Possibly using this approach for emergency shelter for the homeless cold potentially create a warm and safe environment for those in need.

Kurokawa designed them with disassembly in mind. The capsules were held up simply by 4 bolts wrenched to a specific torque. The simplicity of the assembly allowed the blocks to be added in 4 months and this would be at a slowed down pace due to restrictions in Tokyo at the time. When the disassembly began the simplicity of the connections made this an extremely easy and quick job before the demolition.

The Metabolist idea of organic growth and constant change unfortunately did not apply to the capsule tower however, many of the capsules were preserved for a secondary life in places such as museums thus almost concluding metabolist thought of adapting to changing times.

KS67 Kiosks

Another approach of Modular capsule systems are the KS67 Kiosks. Designed by Saša J. Mächtig these small units acts as a place between architecture and industrial design. The Kiosks were a set of modular systems that could be attached, separated or adapted for use. Maybe create shelter? Expand a flower shop? a box office? This flexibility not only benefits the owner of the kiosks but the public space. For example if a unit is used as a coffee shop and if successful the owners could then expand on it to create another space for staff? maybe add a canopy to

K67 Kiosk, Slovenia, 1967

Floor Layout on one of the floors of the capsule tower Interior of single capsule and connection points

protect customers from a harsh sun? The benefits of this promote a third place that is grown organically from how each kiosk is received by the people around it. The issue with the capsule tower was the lack of thought on what happens after. How could these capsules be used once they are out of commission?

Axonometric Illustration of capsules reimagined

What if there was a secondary structure to take old capsules?

What if emergency shelter is used on one core alongside a residential core?

What if there is a skyline connecting different cores together?

What if capsules are reused as kiosks?

What if capsules are recycled and moved around as people move?

What if capsules are joined to create a liveable family home?

What if......

Medellín’s Social Urbanism

Medellin, the capital of Colombia. In 1991 it was the world’s most dangerous city. 6000 people were killed in the city. When thinking about Colombia and its capital its often associated with its drugs and crime linked to Pablo Escobar, Founder and leader of the Medellin cartel, yet when you fast forward three decades Medellin is a safe and prosperous city and it has become a model city for urban design.

Informal urban settlements on the outskirts of the city. Historically seen as lived in by people of poor economic status and high crime rate. Many inhabitants have found them dangerous to live in but the recent change has improved this perception.

Brief History

Colombia, located in the northern part of south America is a very mountainous territory with steep topography at the same time it had unequal capitalist development creating a divisive country and central government. This split the cities within the countries and the communities within the cities.

From 1948 to 1960, a period named

“la Violencia” which involved political and social conflicts following the assassination of Liberal leader Jorge Eliécer Gaitán in 1948.

The violence, land disputes, perceived opportunities and many more factors caused a large proportion of rural migrants to move to the outskirts of Medellin and build comunas, at a time when the city was going through rapid industrialisation. In the 90s the population of Medellin was estimated

to be 3 million which was a massive boom compared to the 300,000 estimated five decades earlier.

Many of these people settled informally on the hilly outskirts. Homes were built with no regulations or restriction. The geographical difference of the comunas and the city divided the two. The informal comunas were neglected by the local government. The comunas kept growing with no restriction as

Top: Comuna 13 ,Medellín

Comunas:

migration kept occurring due to a booming textile industry. There were no other living option for the people, the city just looked the other way and it led to the comunas being extremely overcrowded.

In the 1980s, Escobar’s illegal drug trade started taking off in Medellin and at the same time the textile industry declined due to manufacturing moving overseas. Drug cartels would take advantage of the

struggling people in the comunas and recruiting them. It was easy to indoctrinate the youth when they are geographically segregated form the city and thus from jobs and other opportunities.

Its also important to note Pablo Escobar’s influence on the comunas. Escobar would end up giving back to these communities while the official government wouldn’t acknowledge them. Escobar would end up donating to these places, for example,

purchasing flood lights for a football field so children can play at night. These acts do not condone many of the tragic deaths which occurred due to Escobar however when a locality has no one paying attention to them, Escobar became a Robin hood figure for the outcasts.

Involving the Comunas

In 1993 Escobar was killed and crime declined a little however even

Illustration of Medellin highlighting Comunas located on the steep mountainside on the edge of the city.

Metro

River

Cable Car

Comunas on Steep terrain

City Centre

before his death, city planners and government officials started to notice the impact of the disconnect between comunas and the city centre. Officials were sent to the Comunas and carried out surveys, questionnaires and discussions with locals to see how they could reclaim the empty space avoided due to the violence of the drug cartel conflicts. This grassroot approach is now referred to as social urbanism and it uses the involvement of locals and communities to answer questions on how to better improve the city.

Social Urbanism Interventions

• Metro, cable cars and escalators

One of the key highlights from the officials was the lenght of time to take to get to the city form the mountainside comunas. In the past locals would spend over an hour to get to the city centre. But in 1995, the metro was added which massively cut the commute times to around quarter of an hour. On top of the metro, in 2004 a cable car system was added to complement it. These cable cars would tackle the steep topography of the mountainside, making travelling very convenient for locals. Lastly there are various outdoor escalators around the comunas which help with mobility. Although the comunas are

mostly crowded and hard to have cars come through, many citizens will end up walking. This is great but it could be difficult for the elderly, children and disabled. Adding these escalators eases travel for people while also making walking enjoyable.

• Art

When researching ways to improve the comunas, it was found that there were many artist collectives already. The city helped exposing them further with funding to help transform the local area and making it more interesting. Many Comunas have large art murals and sculptures scattered around, making it an enjoyable place to be around but also helpful to bring local tourism and international tourism. One example of this is Comuna 13, one of the most dangerous areas in Medellin, is now well known for its street art.

• Public Spaces

Many outdoor spaces were dangerous for locals and unused especially during Escobar’s reign on Medellin. The city invested into some of the most deprived locations to regenerate through adding new public focused places. For example library parks, are multi use spaces strategically located in places most disadvantaged in cultural and educational services.

Parks are another great example. The Parque de Los Pies (Barefoot Park) Is located between a heavy traffic zone of the city. It’s a public park with a sandpit water works and vegetation to create a serene atmosphere in the city. These places strategic locations are key to their success and their inclusivity is what helps improve the city socially and culturally.

Medellin still has its problems. The social divide is still here and newly built comunas of the last decade are going through many of the issues the established comunas have. The city has come a long way and there is still room for improvement. It shouldn’t be forgotten that there were other factors that helped but its shouldn’t detract from the fact that successful urban planning has arguably impacted it the most. The word “Comunas”, meaning communes used to have the connotation of a negative society in Medellin however with the positive change of recent time, it’s taken back its original meaning. Simply a group of people living together.

Cable cars/Gondolas above the Comunas

Biblioteca de España. Located in Santo Domingo, Medellín, one of the most dangerous locations in the 80s and 90s.

Comuna 13, Currently an expressive locality with bold murals

Parque de Los Pies (Barefoot Park)

Sustainable Development Goals

Established in 2015, the United nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG’s) are 17 interconnected goals set by the UN which aim to reduce and potentially remove global issues such as poverty inequality and environmental issues. They envision a future of international community by emphasizing collaboration, measurable targets, economic, social and environmental considerations.

One point to clarify is that these goals are not legally binding, they are outlined by the UN as a guide and shared vision of a better world. This means that it varies country by country and not all goals are needed everywhere. Below I’ve highlighted 4 of the UN goals that are important to achieve in Brighton based on the previous research and analysis.

Goal 7

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Compared to the rest of the UK, the city of Brighton and hove is quite ahead when it comes to sustainability. In 2022 it was listed as one of the most sustainable cities in the country with its low pollution levels, vegan friendly stores, Electric charging points and most importantly its gold standard in food sustainability. The city has a detailed sustainability plan however there isn’t much discussion on energy when it comes to housing. Throughout the UK energy bills have soared following the gas supply shortage after the Russia-Ukraine war. This exemplifies how much we rely on non-renewable forms of energy.

This wave of soaring prices was more impactful in Brighton with residents already paying high prices on rent. There needs to be more renewable energy implementation within the city to trickle down its benefits for the residents.

Goal 8

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Brighton and hove has a strong economy with high employment. In 2023 75.5% people were employed, 19.6% were in economic inactivity (students, looking after family, retirement), 4.0% were claimants (Claiming unemployment related benefits) and 4.4% were unemployed seeking work. These figures are quite healthy compared to the rest of the nation with Brighton having a great employment rate. Students and retirees makeup a large number of economic inactivity with the former of course later being employed and contributing to the city’s income. The main issue that Brighton faces is the ratio of wage to cost of living.

There is a mismatch between housing costs and earnings in the city. In a

2018 report the cost of the average home was 14 times the average salary. This is all much worse currently post covid-19 pandemic. This makes it extremely difficult to get mortgages leading to private rents constantly going up. The cost of living is also one of the key drivers of homelessness and its important to provide a basic and safe system for homeless people to improve their livelihood and become employed. A large chunk of Brighton’s economy is also tourist focused being a key seaside spot in the country. Although its important to maintain this Brighton needs to also move towards a more self sufficient economy to provide higher paying jobs to locals which would in return use their spending locally to constantly grow the city.

Goal 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

There are 4 sectors which are prospering in Brighton: Digital (gaming, Software development, media and advertising), Creative and cultural, Environmental industry and Health sciences. The aforementioned is beneficial to Brighton current economy and there should be an aim to keep growing as

the main disadvantage to Brighton is its convenient location in the UK. Brighton’s mix of seaside and country location and its vibrant city make it a hotspot for people to move there. This should be seen as a positive but it can make things difficult for locals. In recent times the cost of living from London led to people to move further out with many moving to Brighton. On top of this for employment many people commute from the capital to Brighton trickling down increased rent and poor public transport into the city.

There needs to be a more resilient and solid infrastructure especially for transport so people can live around the outer boroughs of Brighton and easily move around to their desired location of employment. At the same time Brighton’s most prosperous place is within the city centre. Once outside it, especially on the east side, there is an increase in overall deprivation levels. There needs to be a more balanced and varied industry outside of the city centre, this would help spread out the population and help those underprivileged communities.

Goal 10

Reduce inequality within and among countries

Lastly inequality in Brighton is a focus on this project. As previously identified there is an issue of deprivation in certain areas of Brighton which is the aim of this project to solve. Housing inequality is one of the largest issues. The current living conditions are terrible for residents who live in private rented properties and its much worse for council properties. There is a lack of space and hygiene as the homes are not properly maintained.

This is a huge issue for low income households and it mainly goes back to not having enough council owned land and property being built. The city needs to start thinking of new

methods to improve its housing crisis. (other issues related to inequality are listed on “Fairness in Brighton” page)

Right: Plan of Streets around Albion Hill Estate, Brighton. Not to scale but originally drawn 1:1000

The plan below represents a stretch of Albion Hill and the surrounding areas, most of which was analysed during the site visit. The plan showcases the emptiness especially around the estate. Albion hill is large but unseen by locals. There isn’t much activity unlike the streets west of it which have multiple shops, municipal and other commercial buildings contributing to the place public activity.

In the following pages a speculative section of this was drawn to envision

an improved stretch using themes from the previously analysed precedents. Although unrealistic and unrefined this process of back casting from a utopian vision will prevent restricting visions of Brighton to just the ordinary. At the same time the purpose of the speculative section is to also think of methods to implement the UN SDG’s and seeing how they can affect the urban vision for Brighton.

Cheek by Jowl Speculative Section

1:1000 on A3

Inspired by Peter Cook’s WW drawing of a metamorphosis occurring in a city. The following sections imagine Brighton evolving over time and repairing itself. Currently Albion Hill and many other housing estates are in a state of disrepair. There is no visible activity, a lack of community and third places to enable the former.

High Street. hmm I wonder why everyone wants to go there. Maybe its not just empty

We could make it easier to climb up this very steep hill

Meanwhile also implementing features to harvest rainwater water and re-purpose it

Randomly placed alienating blocks

Why is there no colour, I thought this was near the seaside!

Lets add the basic framework to start improving the current homes and surrounding areas

Oh boy..there’s a lot of cars here on these tiny streets. Commuting sure must be fun (0_o)

Setting Foundations

Existing homes can be improved by adapting them to take advantage of renewable energy

Roads can be reduced to encourage walking. Gutters can be removed for accessibility

No need for ridiculous Tesla tunnels

Use the efficient cable cars to get around the city instead

The city can constantly change. It will be up to the locals to choose when, where, how. The city planner should be itself

The Evolving Symbiosis

A constant evolution of the city is the goal. Change should be never ending. The city will have an improved infrastructure and spread the focus of the city centre away onto areas which need attention for commercial, cultural and social needs. Neighbourhoods can be improved but not just reserved to themselves, they will be connected, sharing and helping each other.

Some buildings could be kept, some might need to be eaten a little bit. Let the parasitic cubes take over!!!

Regeneration hotspots will be created through a new skyline. People can move around the city in no time

Conceptual sketch over previous axonometric of Albion Hill. The idea of capsules alongside a cable car system to move people across the steep hills in Brighton while also adapting the block towers to create a social space.

Parasitic Capsules

Concept Model

These concept models were created to represent modular capsules that could be used throughout the city. The concept model hollow cubes represent new capsules, buildings or any other form of construction which would be new. The solid blocks represent any structure which is existing.

The idea of the concept is for it to work as a standalone product but also have the ability to be added on, joined or changed by its users. The image on the top shows how the capsules can be joined together to create a liveable space. Instead of creating micro spaces like in the Nagakin Capsule tower larger rooms can be made and joined together. A different layout on the image on the left shows stacked cubes to create interestingly shaped home or something similar. It could simply be a watchtower? Or maybe the top of a really tall slide in a children’s park? The point is for a structure that can adapt for multiple uses. The main focus will be to create a dignified living space but it should also enhance the surrounding environment.

Lastly the model works to show adaptive reuse. The solid blocks were placed in different positions to create possible existing buildings. The image on the left shows various changes that could be made to a tower block while the three variations below show different examples.

Rain water collection

Wind Turbines

Communal places

Lego Model

The initial concept model is great at showing the basic initial idea of a parasitic system however it was restrictive in being expressive. To better reflect the colourful palette of BrightonLegos, images from the site visit and the concept model was used to visualise a “common”. An environment focused on the locals were they can help each other build a dignified home and constantly work to improve each other’s lives.

The original intention of Lego parts was to create a variety of forms using simple construction shapes. An argument from the beginning was about the more dreary style of social housing Brighton compared to the city centre and its variegated architecture. The Legos detract from the simple box shapes through colour alone. It was during this time that the idea of half houses and self builds seemed like a reasonable method to approach the issue of housing further on in the project.

Multiple forms to test simple construction methods using LEGO Technic pieces

Work in Progress

Why do we see construction as an eye sore? Why is it restricting us from our daily activities? Why is it a barrier covering the future?

Lets redefine construction from its affiliation of capitalist entities into a collaborative sphere.

Lets think of it metaphorically in the way of building communities, fostering connections and enhancing everyone’s quality of life. We should not restrict ourselves to the description of physical structures but expand on the intangible aspects of community, relationships, support systems and shared values.

We will re-frame construction as an ongoing endeavour of collaboration, achievement and working together to achieve our goals. Envisioning an improved social fabric with a focus on commons, education, culture and environment.

When we think like this, construction doesn’t need to stop, it should be an ongoing endeavour of refining ourselves and uplifting those around us. Construction will be positive and engaging with it even more enriching.

Connectivity

The connectivity map on the previous page represents the existing public transport routes available in Brighton. You can see that there is a decent amount of options available towards the city centre and west of Brighton. However if you look back on the map of deprived areas you can see a correlation between the location of the train routes and the and the most deprived locations. This resulted in the proposition of a cable car to connect the city and create new urban hubs. The proposition includes deprived locations as well as established places in Brighton as not to exclude people to just their own deprived areas. The purpose of this is to make travel more convenient while also creating opportunities for manufacture, business, cultural and social opportunities throughout the city.

The list on the right highlights potential spots to add this additional method of transport. The locations in blue are under most deprived while the remaining are opportunities for connecting to either a economic, social or tourist location in Brighton. This method will act in two ways where it will encourage people form the underprivileged neighbourhoods to enjoy the rest of the city while also bringing in people into these areas.

Hove lawns

Whitehawk tower blocks

Woodingdean central park * 06.26 Knoll estate * 06.28 Hove park

Preston park 06.34 Bevendean *

North hangleton *

Withdean park

Wild park nature reserve 08.34 Moulsecoomb (Community Leisure Centre) *

09.28 Wild water hall and sports facilities and club

09.34 Stanmere park nature reserve and playground

Left: Early sketch of creating connection solely on deprived areas. Idea was left due to risk of creating an even more divisive city.

Below: Sketch of Albion hill tower block reimagined with additional timber framework and capsules being placed into position. You can see that there is no cable car on this sketch. The network for this alternative transport method should be adjustable, nothing is permanent. If a certain area prospers the framework for the structure can be moved around. What if locals might not like having a really busy transport hub right near where they live. Due to this the locations of the hubs should not be fixed.

Site Plan

This Site plan reimagines parts of Albion Hill Estate. It shows a variety of changes which enable the locals and visitors to engage with the urban environment. This will in turn be beneficial to the locality.

1 - Childrens play area. A safe space, originally a car park, now removed to let children play safely around the blocks.

2 - Markets. Temporary or permanent stalls using the same materials from the main building frame work. Encourage local business and vendors to operate in this location.

3 - Communal Garden. Making use of the grass by setting up a communal farm where the habitants of the tower blocks can get together to cultivate crops to save them costs on shopping and living healthier.

4 - Temporary pop up shelter. Helping the local homeless population by setting up temporary shelters which would be especially important in winter months.

5 - Skatepark. The steep hill on this site makes it difficult to play any sports. Building a skatepark using the already existing slopes can reduce material waste and bring in a number of local skaters into the place. This will link back to the markets as one could purchase buy from the other if they are constantly in the same location.

6 - Pocket Forest. A small serene place to get away from the loud noises, it might be that the other additions create noise. The vegetation could be planted to reduce noise pollution on one of the estate blocks

7 - Parasitic Extension. Improving the housing condition of current residents by extending their properties based on their needs. This would be a preference. Certain residents may prefer an extra room for work, some might like a balcony with more space. It would be entirely on how the residents wants to live.

Other examples of regenerating sites

Choosing the green space surrounding the leisure centre in Moulsecoomb (08.34). This is a potential site for regeneration with a focus on helping homeless individuals.

1 – A possible extension to the existing leisure centre linked to a tower for the cable car system

2 – Pop up homeless shelters taking up the unused green space

3 – A temporary performance stage which can be changed around for various events attracting people from wider Brighton and hove into Moulsecoomb

4 – Additions to existing homes

Being located towards the east, Bevendean (06.36) can be used as a suitable location for sourcing and manufacturing timber for the structural and temporary systems throughout the city. Its closeness to nearby parks and Rottingdean, which is an industrial hub on the east.

5 – Large manufacturing building for producing timber to specific levels for projects throughout the city

6 – Adding stalls to existing retail area to encourage more independent and small businesses to sell in the area

7 – Cable car stop and communal area

8 – Using the empty lots between homes to create communal gardens

North of Whitehawk (05.33) has several tower blocks and empty land surrounding it. It’s a great location to plant trees to use for timber.

9 – Extensions to existing tower blocks, improving the livelihood of residents

10 – Timber processing and cultivating hub

11 – Using timber to adjust or improve existing children’s play area.

12 – Creating bridges between tall building, possibly change internal layout for a more active and shared space

Moulsecoomb Leisure Centre

Whitehawk Tower Block Estates

Business Park

1:100 Framework Models

The 1:100 Models were conceptual models to show the scale of the building and the framework required for the capsule architecture to work. This model was cast out of concrete for the main block to show the mass and weight of the existing tower block in Albion Hill. The framework was made out of wood. Rather than a single model this model is accompanied by multiple models representing the framework of the parasitic building.

These could be a permanent addition, in terms of tearing apart the frame and imposing mass timber onto the concrete frame or it could be a separate building on its own that can be assembled and disassembled. There is also a third route which would be a separate building which over time becomes a permanent fixture if enough connections are

made over time, becoming a place maker.

The second part to the 1:100 model was representing modularity. The Framework variations (which can be seen on the right) were all hollow, with movable floor slabs and blocks representing the capsules which would be inserted into the building when necessary. The model shows quite a few variations with one of them being a framework with a cable car system at the top (Bottom Left on following page).

The structure has not been looked into much beyond brief sketches and some material research. Glulam will be the most likely option however the method of joinery is still undecided as of now.

Representation of capsules

The result of the forms was due to a series of simple sketches layered slowly on top of each while moving around details. These were inspired by the work of Lebbeus Woods, An influential American architect and artist whose chaotic visuals drew on the relations of architecture and politics.

Much of his work was unbuilt and more imaginative. I used the sketches to then create more complex and challenging timber frames for the concrete block.

Adapting the Tower Block

Example of adapting an apartment.

1 - Existing Floor Plan. Small space possibly overcrowded and porrly maintained by locality.

2 - Remove balcony and add framework. Deep clean home and carry out maintenance on property. remove any common issues such as Mould which can affect extension. During this time the capsule could be build on the ground by the residents.

Temporary capsules can also be put up for accommodation while professional maintenance is carried out. Internal layout could also be changed at this stage.

3 - Capsule frame is slotted inside. Once home is ready the capsule can be placed in home by using a crane or mostly likely a cherry picker if it is a low rise. Furnishing can be completed by residents and new space can be used to their need.

Left: Retrieved original postwar plans from the council on the Albion Hill high rises. These were used to sketch out potential ways of adjusting the building.

Above: quick sketch on construction of improved apartments on Albion hill tower blocks

Left: Sketch of circular plan linked to existing buildings

Inhabited Home

The following floor plan shows a scenario of a family of four. Although an extra bedroom could be added to accommodate two children, a bunk bed was chosen instead as the children are small. The balcony has been extended into an outdoor space which has enough room for a small garden to grow various vegetables.

The capsule is divide into two sections. A divider has been placed letting the place be open or enclosed depending on occasion. Maybe someone wants to play chess without the noise and distraction form others. The idea of the capsule is to change for the peoples needs. What if in the future, the children grow and need more space, what if the kids move out and a dining room could be added instead. The example here only has one capsule but depending on the property and layout there could be multiple. This concept is to take the idea of half house but apply it in already existing buildings.

1 – Bathroom. Changed from two separate rooms into one larger one, creating a roomier environment.

2 – Kitchen. Extended slightly into living room to add more storage space and have a convenient L shape.

3 – Bedroom. French door opening into the new balcony

4 – Living Room. Size slightly decreased as balcony creates an extra environment for lounging and other activities. Wide doors fitted to let in more light.

5 – Capsule. In this scenario the capsule is used to create a larger balcony connecting two rooms. This new balcony improves spaces and provides more opportunities for the home’s layout.

Segal Method

During the 70s There was a housing crisis in the UK. Lewisham Council in London ended up buying a large amount of land without realizing that only flat and large spaces can be used for council buildings. The long waiting lists forced the council to actually take some experimental approaches with social housing. This led to Lewisham Council to let people sign up for a self-build scheme. The names were picked out of a hat at random. These people would go on to work alongside each other, Walter Segal and John Broom (Co architect).

Walter Segal (1907-1985) was a Berlin born architect who came up with a system of self-build homes without the need for wet trades like bricklaying or plastering. The homes were built of a timber frame modular system, they had a flat roof and used standardized timber parts to create the build simple and provide a recyclability of materials for future extensions or adjustments.

The first scheme was 14 homes in four small sites, the success of it led to a second street with 13 homes. Each person partaking would carry out the work at their own leisure times and everyone would have to build their own home. Before any work being carried the architects would discuss the plans and possible variations of the homes and order the standardized parts. Segal promoted the idea that anyone could build their

home and a lack of knowledge or skill would not affect this project, thus the self-builders were varied ranging from skilled labourers, elderly, single mothers and more. The schemes collaborative method also led to the self-builders becoming a community before being neighbours and this was especially important when it came to heavier jobs such as raising walls.

The Segal method had some limitations yet it allowed both designers and self-builders to come up with multiple variants with some residents jumping to extensions as soon as their home was finished. Some have built yoga decks, others added a bedroom for children and in the current time many have adapted the building to be more energy efficient with renewable energy methods and improved insulation and air circulation.

In the end the two streets are some of the most unusual streets in London, completed in the 80s to this day the homes are still being worked on and adjusted to the lifestyle of the owners. The size of the streets are at a much more human proportion and create a safe environment for children to play. The Segal method is radical but successful. It proves that homes can be built with low capital and no specific skills (Beyond some basic training on site). Unfortunately not everyone is happy with this unconventional approach with mortgage, insurance companies and surveyors not being too fond. However with the current housing crisis and environmental issues the Segal method should be taken more seriously as a solution rather than a rare program from the 80s.

Top: Sketch of layout for modular system, designed by Walter Segal

Left: Timber frame layout for 50x200mm Sections

Self Build Process

Assessing Site

Check how suitable the site is for the work. The homes will need to be planned for optimal orientation, topography and be able to follow the local planning regulations. Luckily one of the main advantages of the Segal method of self builds is how efficient they are in irregular terrain due to the lightweight structure.

Designing/Planning

Using the Segal method grid the clients/self-builders would work with architects to find the best of the many possible layouts that can be built. They would also need to apply for planning permission at this time. With many self-build projects, planning can be difficult to get but with many being co operatives. It can be easier to persuade officials as a group.

Foundations

The first actual step to construction is to prepare the ground for building. The Segal homes can easily be built on uneven ground however it still needs to be prepared to make construction easier as well as for moving objects around the site without risk of injuries and inconvenience.

Once the ground is level Small foundations are placed where the main column would sit. The simplicity of the structure lets shallow pillar like concrete foundations to be placed or the more commonly used, Concrete pads.

Timber frame Self Build

Once the foundations are in place the timber frame can begin to be built. These homes use post and beam and timber frame construction (see sketch on previous page). The self builds are carried out differently depending on the program, however most of the Segal based projects tend to be structured by the involved co operative to build each future neighbours home together, this makes it a group effort that leaves all homes equal in quality of construction.

The Timber frame construction is very simple. The Main frames are built laid flat on the ground. Its important to note that many self build proijects let people cut timber with simple hand tools and possibly some light machinery to make the process quicker. This helps save on a large chunk of construction costs. Once they are ready, they are positioned onto the foundations and as a group lifted vertically and held in place with timber posts. A rough recreation of this can be seen on the next page. Although its lightweight for construction the timber frames are still very heavy relative to the strength of an average person. This can be quite a challenging stage as all self-builders must be very calculated to prevent any risk of injury or damage to the materials. At the same time this combined effort can be seen as a symbol of the self-build. It’s a combined work involving most of the group, its tough but the hardship also leads to knowing the fellow self-builders better. This is one of the reasons projects similar to this create neighbourhoods before there even is a physical version.

Roof and panels

Once the main frame is built the next step is to move to the roof right away, especially if it is around a rainy season or winter times. The roof structure on Segal homes are flat and are simply built up of insulation and layers of felt. The weight of the roof layers keeps it down. This would be done right after roof Rafters are fitted. This also lets the membrane stretch when there is change in temperatures. Making it very efficient and longer lasting compared to traditional roofs.

Once the roof is completed, The rest of the construction is simple, Floor joists, wall studs, Bracing, flooring and more is added on just like a typical post and beam construction. Although many of the Segal like projects are uniform in construction it doesn’t stop any similar projects to start making changes at this stage. These secondary components are designed to be interchangeable and in the past right after a home was built, some self-builders already began changes to their homes.

Finalisations

Lastly the interior would be completed, Services like plumbing and electricity would be sorted first leaving furnishings and any extras to the homeowners individually. Once everything is completed a final quality check is required to make sure everything is up to standard.

Right: Group of self-builders in London using the Segal Method to build their homes

Below: Model of Timber frame being lifted. This was used as a basis for the 1:10 scale Model

1:10 scale Model

After looking further into self-build initiatives and looking at the Segal method more in-depth, it was decided that this was a great approach to build the capsules. The Idea of this model is to represent the capsules which would slot into the mass timber framework (1:100 Model). After understanding the Segal approach to self-build, the base timber frame was used to create the rest of the model. This model started off simply by using 6mmx21mm timber battens from a DIY store to replicate as close as possible the 50x200 C24 Beams and columns used In self builds. The rest of the modelling was done mostly by hand with some machine assistance but no CAM tools were used. The purpose of this was to keep it authentic to the self-builders. Hand saws replicated the effort and imperfections of the self builds and it did also provide benefit by giving some leeway for mistakes.

the timber framewas joined with a single bolt. This is to replicate 4 Industrial bolts which would be used in the real world. Once tightened the structure was stiff and did not shear unless there was strong pressure placed. Bracing was tested but ultimately was not added as it represents a single capsule.

Another key part of the process was to not use any kinds of glue to permanently join the pieces. The model uses cut into the structural wood which carries the load form the rafters, joists and Studs. With this method it replicates the modularity of the self builds, the entire model can be taken apart revealing step by step how it works. Do note that for some purposely exposed sections a string was used to hold it together. Although not intentional it did work surprisingly well and the use of rope could be explored further possibly for bracing.

The model was a great way to understand the Segal method further. It could be taken a step further by possibly making multiple frames and testing how they would work within a larger scale section of the mass timber framework.

1- Structural frame

2 - Roof rafters and Joists

3 - Floor Panels

4- Wall studs

5 - Insulation

6 - Membrane

7 - Roof Panel

8 - External panels

Top Right: Sketch of potential sacrificial timber foundation for temporary pop ups

Lastly going back to one of the first points in the project. The lack of character in the deprived areas of Brighton. The simple solution to this was taking advantage of the modularity. The self-build capsules can easily be take apart, thus the idea to change the external panel came to be. If this is done, it would let the selfbuilders to use the panels as canvases

to make their home unique.

The image above represents two variations of the external panels (Credit to Sandip Singh, 21122819 for the graffiti on the red panels). These physical variations led to exploring the art of the panels further. In the next few pages are other panels which were painted, showing a variety of

colours and looking more familiar to the locality and art around Brighton. The drawing inside the windows were done by other fellow students imagining how each capsule would be inside, Although not everyone got the right idea….

“Why

did the chicken cross the road…..”

- Rosalie Nyanguile (21122491)

“Based off the iconic Karate Kid fight. We have two characters facing head to head in a karate dojo. A fight about to besieged on two fighters. Larusso and Lawrence. Frenemies.”

- Emily Mole (20117556)

Picture of mural from site visit

“Extended space used as a greenhouse sanctuary for exotic plants and a getaway.”

- Ferdosi Miah (19129744)

Conclusion

This visual represents the community gathering around a self-build. In this scenario several self-builders are taking a break and painting the construction barriers which will eventually be converted into external panels. Neighbours, children, elderly, pets are all welcome to hang around, paint or stroll through this odd exhibition. This is an example of the self-build working as a common.

Now this visual was done by the author, to truly see a representation of varied imagination the next page has illustrations on each panel carried out by siblings and friends of the author.

I hope you enjoyed looking through this book.

Sumaya

Kulsuma

Film Photography

Photos

Modelling Process 1:100

To create the 1:100 Models, Concrete was used to begin with. A mould was created using plans of one of the Albion Hill Estate tower blocks. At 1:100 Detail wasn’t required as I just needed to show the idea. The block was kept simple, once cast (using pot noodles cups to get the correct ratio) and dry it was gone over using wall filler to flatten any hollow bits form cracking concrete. The test concrete to check the ratio ended up being reused as bases for the timber framework. This was great to show Topography differences and how the framework would be affected.

While working on the concrete block, square timber dowels were used to represent mass timber and glued using UHU and Glue gun. On top of this BCU’s engineering department helped out by providing a motor to use for a cable car. The simple model worked smoothly in the end.

Modelling Process 1:10

The 1:10 Model was made almost entirely out of timber and did not use any CAM tools.

This model started off from studying Walter Segal’s Design for his selfbuild homes. Based on the notes C24 Timber was used at a size of 50x200 (section). To replicate this at a small scale 6mmx21mm Timber battens were bought form a DIY Store. The simplicity of the frame work joined by

1 bolt (to represent 4) helped make the base.

The rest of the model was created by finding offcuts at the wood workshop. To replicate the self-build all the pieces were cut without computer aid. On top of this no glue was used however strings were required to hold up certain open ended sections. The model can fully be taken apart just like the modular self builds It

was inspired by. The model only represents a single room/capsule. The majority of the model making process after the main frame was entirely improvised. It really showed the simplicity of the Segal Method.

Other Mediums

Beyond traditional methods for modelling, other mediums such as painting, lino cut, Legos, collaborative works and so on was used throughout this project. Digital Software such as photoshop and various cad and 3D modelling was also used briefly to assist with certain sections however, when it came to exploring different methods using traditional hand sketching was most useful to quickly get ideas across.

Reflections

The following are reflections of my own work on this booklet.

The focus of my project was to look at different methods to address the divide in Brighton. I am content with the precedent and research carried out and I believe it strongly influenced my models and visuals towards the end. There were some precedent which I missed out on looking into due to time constraint. Samuel Mockbee’s work in rural and

deprived areas to create great and dignified homes is a precedent that links well to the situation in Brighton. his projects alongside university students links to deprivation in the north of Brighton. Architecture and engineering students could be a factor in designing and helping with building the self-build homes for locals.

The projects focus is on deprivation and social housing but it is strongly

linked to homelessness. Although its been briefly referred throughout. An intervention focusing solely housing the homeless could potentially be done.

Lastly the variety of mediums used was great however I don’t think its as refined as it could be. A focus for the next project could be focusing on one format whether Timber, concrete casting or even an entirely working LEGO model and refine that further.

Research

Deprivation:

Brighton and Hove City Council (2019). 2019 Indices of Deprivation Briefing – December 2019. [online] Brighton and Hove City Council, Brighton and Hove City Council, pp.1–30. Available at: https://www. brighton-hove.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2023-11/ English%20Indices%20of%20deprivation%20 briefing%20-%202019.pdf [Accessed 1 Oct. 2023].

Health and wellbeing:

Health and wellbeing in Brighton & Hove. (2022). [online] http://www.bhconnected.org.uk/content/ needs-assessments. Brighton and Hove City Council. Available at: https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/jointstrategic-needs-assessment-jsna.

Fairness:

Rayner , V. (2020). Fairness Commission: The report. [online] Brighton and Hove City Council, Brighton and Hove City Council, pp.1–66. Available at: https:// www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/ fairness-commission/fairness-commission [Accessed 1 Nov. 2023].

Areas and History:

My Brighton and Hove (2023). Elm Grove. [online] My Brighton and Hove. Available at: https://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/area/elmgrove [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

Homelessness: Harris, D. (2023). The Shocking Truth Behind Homelessness in Brighton and Hove: 43 Deaths in 2022 and Counting. [online] Brighton and hove housing coalition. Available at: https://housingcoalition.co.uk/the-shocking-truthbehind-homelessness-in-brighton-and-hove43-deaths-in-2022-and-counting/.

News, I. (2023). ‘The forgotten 43’: Brighton and Hove has highest homeless death rate in England. [online] ITV News. Available at: https:// www.itv.com/news/meridian/2023-0421/brighton-and-hove-has-second-highest-homelessdeath-rate-in-england-study.

https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2023-04-21/ brighton-and-hove-has-second-highest-homelessdeath-rate-in-england-study

BBC 3 (2018). Mothers & Lovers | Girls Living On The Streets Of Brighton. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=gh3OfeFTHfo&t=946s [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

UN SDG:

Miller, N. (2022). How Brighton & Hove Became Britain’s Greenest Food City. [online] www.bbc.com. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/ travel/article/20220922-how-brightonhove-became-britains-greenest-city. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20220922-howbrighton-hove-became-britains-greenest-city office for national statistics (2023). Brighton and Hove’s employment, unemployment and economic inactivity - ONS. [online] www.ons.gov.uk. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/ labourmarketlocal/E06000043/#unemployment [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

https://www.ons.gov.uk/visualisations/ labourmarketlocal/E06000043/#unemployment Marketing (2018). Mismatch between housing costs and earnings in Brighton and Hove

References

highlighted by new report -. [online] commercial. Available at: https://ukcommercialfinance.co.uk/mismatch-housing-costsearnings-brighton-hove-highlighted-newreport/ [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

visit Brighton (2024). Brighton Sector Strengths. [online] Visit Brighton. Available at: https://www.visitbrighton.com/conferences/ ambassador-programme/sector-strengths.

Precedent Studies

Quinta Monroy:

Alejandro Aravena Mori, Arteaga, G., Cerda, J., Oddo, V. and Torres, D. (2018). Elemental. New York: Phaidon Press.

elemental (2024). Elemental «. [online] elemental Chile. Available at: https://www.elementalchile.cl/en/. greenspan, sam (2016). Half a House. [online] 99% Invisible. Available at: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/half-ahouse/.

Srinivas, H. (2022). Sites and Services. [online] www. gdrc.org. Available at: https://www.gdrc.org/uem/squatters/s-and-s.html [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

Lacaton and Vassal: Del Core, C. (2021). Pritzker 2021: the French Lacaton & Vassal win the prestigious award. [online] www.archweb.com. Available at: https:// www.archweb.com/en/blog/post/pritzker2021-en/ [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

https://www.archweb.com/en/blog/post/pritzker2021-en/ (done this idk why kts gone red) Harvard GSD (2016). Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal, ‘Freedom of Use’. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=zdgYGkQM9zc.

LACATON & VASSAL (2017). lacaton & vassal. [online] www.lacatonvassal.com. Available at: https://www.lacatonvassal.com/index. php?idp=80.

Nagakin Capsule tower:

Kurokawa, K. [1977]. Metabolism in architecture. London: Studio Vista.

Rem Koolhaas, Hans-Ulrich Obrist and Kayoko Ota [2011]. Project Japan : Metabolism talks ... Köln Taschen.

Koolhas, R., Obrist, H.U., Steele, B. and Basar, S. (2012). Project Japan: Metabolism Talks - Rem Koolhaas, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Brett Steele, Shumon Basar. [online] www.youtube.com. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=OpwcTQ5RKbw&t=2301s [Accessed 20 Feb. 2023].

Mwarchitecture (2009). MWArchitecture: prefab / nakagin capsule tower / kisho kurokawa. [online] MWArchitecture. Available at: https:// mwarchitcture.blogspot.com/2009/11/prefabnakagin-capsule-tower-kisho.html [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

Huber, D. (2017). The Enduring Lives of Sasa Machtig’s Modular Creations. [online] Metropolis. Available at: https://metropolismag.com/ profiles/the-enduring-lives-of-sasamachtigs-modular-creations/ [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

Social Urbanism: María Bellalta (2020). Social urbanism : reframing spatial design - discourses from Latin America. Novato, Calif.? Applied Research And Design Publishing, An Imprint Of Oro Editions.

Rosander, A. (2020). Social Urbanism in Colombia. [online] ArcGIS StoryMaps. Available at: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/ stories/78d65010778547b79c4ccaadd3a35e55. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/ stories/78d65010778547b79c4ccaadd3a35e55

99pi (2018). Post-Narco Urbanism. [online] 99% Invisible. Available at: https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/post-narcourbanism/.

McEntee, M. and McInerney, T. (2022). The Influence of Pablo Escobar and the Urbanization of Medellin, Colombia | Urban Latin America: Plazas, Protests, and Processions. [online] sites.lib.jmu.edu. Available at:

Segal Method:

Ellis, C. (1987). Walter’s Way, self-build schemes, Lewisham, London by the Segal method. [online] Architectural Review. Available at: https:// www.architecturalreview.com/buildings/walters-way-self-buildschemes-lewisham-london-by-the-segalmethod.

Ward, C. (2007). about. [online] www.segalselfbuild. co.uk. Available at: https://www.segalselfbuild.co.uk/about.html [Accessed 3 Jan. 2024].

https://www.segalselfbuild.co.uk/about.html Mark, L. (2016). It’s time for another self-build revolution. [online] The Architects’ Journal. Available at: https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/ practice/culture/its-time-for-another-selfbuild-revolution.

Investigating potential solutions to Brighton’s underprivileged neighbourhoods by envisioning connections through a skyline while strengthening communities through collaborative self-build initiatives.