Lus - Design Book

INTRODUCTION

Lus, Gaelic for plant, is a centre for growing, cooking and eating plants in Edinburgh.

It nurtures indoor and outdoor growing facilities, offers cooking and nutrition classes and has a plant-based, selfservice restaurant.

The aim is to teach children, teenagers and undergraduate university students how to cook fruit and vegetables to make them more enjoyable, whilst learning about the lifecycle of the plants with gardening activities.

The hope is to encourage inter-generational interaction with volunteering opportunities for retired people, in both the growing and educational spaces.

The site is McDonald Road Fire Station in Leith, Edinburgh. There are many schools nearby as well as student accommodation, homes for the elderly and a relatively diverse demographic of ethnicities, making this a suitable location for the project’s stakeholders.

GROWING

This theme came from my interest in healthy eating and nature.

I was researching social issues in Scotland, as the project is based in Edinburgh, and poor nutrition is a widespread problem.

COOKING

Therefore, I thought about how this issue could be tackled in an interior design context and came to the conclusion that a community centre for growing your own plants whilst learning about them, could be of benefit.

Additionally, I was keen to incorporate cookery classes and a restaurant, to give people the skills to cook simple, healthy food, whilst demonstrating examples of dishes in the restaurant.

In alignment with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, I have designed a self-service restaurant in order to give people greater choice in what they eat as well as tackling issues of food waste.

DESIGN

PROCESS Page 59

FINAL DESIGN Page 85

Name: McDonald Road Fire Station and the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage

Address: 93 McDonald Road, Leith, Edinburgh, EH7 4NS

Use: Fire Station and Museum

Year Built: 1967

Architect: Bamber & Hall

Year of Refurbishment: 2021

Architect of Refurbishment: Smith Scott Mullan Associates

FIG.

This is my digital model that I developed of the site, using SketchUp and rendered with V-Ray. This first view is from the South, looking at the corner of the station entrance. McDonald Road and Dryden Terrace meet here.

SOUTH VIEW

NORTH VIEW

FIG. 2

I visited my chosen site in October 2023 and February 2024 to gain an greater understanding of its scale and particular characteristics.

The museum felt voluminous and had lots of exposed pipework on the ceiling. This dark interior was balanced out by the expansive windows on either side of the room, which allowed lots of natural light in.

One of the most interesting feat ures to me is the drill tower. I wanted to convert this into an intesrting aspect of my design, because the type of buidling is not one that many people have been able to go inside before.

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McDonald Road Fire Station is first constructed, as a purpose-built fire station. The Dryden Terrace side of the station, which now houses the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage, was originally a 6-bay engine room that housed Auxiliary Fire Service (AFS) units from Leith.

1967

Before the construction of the fire station, the land was primarily used for industrial purposes. There were several workshops and industrial buildings located in the vicinity, including a joinery workshop and a blacksmith's shop.

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Since the renovations were completed in 2021, the site has operated as a community fire and ambulance station, as well as the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage.

The building was clad in a more modern style, with a focus on the carbon footprint.

Design work started on the fire station’s remodelling, for it to become the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s City of Edinburgh Headquarters.

This project also involved relocating the Museum of Scottish Fire Heritage back to this site, after being located elsewhere for 25 years.

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HISTORIC MAPS

This historic maps shows what the area around the fire station looked like in the 1960s, when it was first constructed. The historic East Suffolk Railway line can be seen at the rear of the fire station, which was saved from closure in 1966.

The area is industrial, with various depots and workshops surrounding the site. Whilst some of these remain today, the landscape is less industrial now.

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This historic map is the oldest one I can find that shows the land before the fire station was constructed. The same railway line can be seen behind it, and the land itself was farmland. I feel as though this ties into my project nicely, because the original purpose of the land was to grow plants. The area to the right of the site is still very residential, but not as industrial as it became in later years.

EXISTING PLANS

EXISTING ELEVATION

EXISTING SECTIONS

SOUTH

EAST

NORTH

The building suits the project well because of the large fire engine bay doors, which create the opportunity for lots of natural light. Furthermore, the fire station was first constructed in 1967 and is not listed, meaning there is wider scope to adapt the building for a new function.

The generous external yard also has potential to be converted into a community garden, in addition to the drill tower which has large openings and could subsequently be repurposed into a vertical garden.

There are a number of interesting features that I intend to retain. These include a fire drill tower, a sprinkler tank, two fireman’s poles and a large open space in the existing fire engine bay room.

My demographic is children, teenagers, undergraduate university students and retired people (typically 67+).

This is because my research supports the idea that adults with the best cooking skills and nutrition knowledge were taught the skills during childhood.

As people of retirement age are typically most interested in gardening, my project will have volunteering opportunities for retired people (or other adults with more time on their hands) to teach younger people how to grow their own food. I plan to carry out a survey that identifies the people most interested in gardening to support this idea.

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Here I have created two maps which show the location of community garden initiatives and schools / nurseries within a 15 minute drive from the site, which supports my chosen location.

It is clear that residents are interested in community gardens, because there are a number of them just a 15 minute drive away from my site.

Additionally, there are many schools and nurseries, making the location suitable for childrens' and family cookery classes.

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CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION

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The map above indicates the number of 0-15 year olds living in the area. There appear to be a high proportion north and east of the site, which makes sense as this is leading further out of the city centre. It is more likely for young adults to live there, whilst families may settle in slightly quieter areas.

In contrast, this map shows the proportion of people aged 65 and over living around the site. Similarly to the previous map, they are mostly in the North-West, which is Stockbridge. This is a more affluent area, which is not suprising as people of retirement age are more likely to be living in a house with more money, than a young adult in a flat in the centre of Edinburgh.

The map above shows the proportion of residents who are retired around the site. In alignment with the findings from the map showing the people aged 65 and over, it is unsuprising that the areas of highest retirement are similar. Nonetheless, this data is helpful and supports my brief by indentifying that there are retired people located near the site, and would thus hopefully be inclined to visit.

This map shows the proportion of people living alone. As my project aims to tackle lonliness and encourage intergenerational interaction, I was keen to understand how many residents live by themselves around the site.

The map shows that in many areas nearby over 45% of people live alone. This was higher than I expected, and I believe it supports my rationale as people may visit the site in order to socialise.

RESEARCH

My research for this project involved a survey of my own design, as well as secondary research into the themes of my project. Finally, I dissected a number of precedent studies to inspire the development of my design

My intention with the survey was to gauge the respondents' interests and existing knowledge in regards to growing their own fruit and vegetables.

I also intended to understand how confident people feel with their cooking ability, as well as the extent to which they consume fruit and vegetables on a daily basis.

I designed a survey on Survey Monkey which included the nine questions listed on the right. The survey was sent out to family and friends, and subsequently passed on to their family and friends.

As a result, I recieved 83 responses in total, from January 2024-February 2024.

SURVEY

Q1. How old are you?

Q2. What is your gender?

Q3. Do you have access to a garden?

Q4. Do you grow your own fruit or vegetables?

Q5. How much do you know about growing fruit and vegetables?

Q6. How often do you eat fruit and vegetables?

Q7. How confident do you feel in your cooking abilities?

Q8. Who taught you to cook?

Q9. Have you been exposed to nutrition or diet advice on social media?

I asked this question to gauge the most common age of the respondents, and consequently how this would inform the answers I received.

As shown in the bar chart of the right, a significant proportion of the responses came from people aged 55 and over.

Q2. What is your gender?

Q3. Do you have access to a garden?

Almost all of the participants in this survey are female, 75%.

89% of participants have access to their own private garden. This means that there is not much room for people that solely visit a community garden, with only 2% of responses.

Q4. Do you grow your own fruit or vegetables? Q5. How much do you know about growing fruit and vegetables?

This question showed more variety in the responses, with 33% of people currently growing their own fruit or vegetables.

Only 8% of people had never grown or looked after plants of any kind.

This question showed that a large proportion that took part in the survey only knew a little bit about growing fruit and vegetables.

36%, however, know the basics and 16% know nothing.

Q6. How often do you eat fruit and vegetables? Q7. How conffident do you feel in your cooking abilities?

Almost everyone who answered the survey eats a lot of fruit and vegetables. With 43% eating them very often, and 46% fairly often.

This question showed that half of my respondents feel fairly confident in their cooking abilities.

17% feel very confident, and only 6% feel very unconfident.

Q8. Who taught you to cook? (select all that apply)

This question allowed me to learn how the majority of respondents had acquired their cooking skills. 66 out of 83 people had been taught by a family member, whilst 45 out of 83 also claim to be self-taught.

Q9. Have you been exposed to nutrition or diet advice on social media?

52% reported to have been exposed to diet and nutrition advice occasionally, whilst 35% have seen it a lot. The remaining 8% have never been exposed to it, and the final 5% do not have social media.

The results of my survey are not fully supportive of my research and I believe this is because I did not approach a diverse group of people.

Whilst I had a relatively wide age range of respondents, almost everyone was over the age of 45. This would explain the greater access to a private garden, as most participants are probably home-owners, in addition to the high proportion that eat fruit and vegetables regularly.

As some of the main stakeholders in my project are undergraduate university students and children, I can imagine that the data would vary greatly if I had focused on asking the questions to these groups of people.

VERTICAL FARMING

As part of my research for this project, I found several articles to support the importance of vertical farming, cookery education and the negative implications of diet advice on social media.

Over the next few pages, I have summarised my findings for each of the topics.

1. THE PLANT - AN EXPERIMENT IN URBAN FOOD SUSTAINABILITY (2017)

The article states the benefits of vertical farming, which include:

• Lower uses of fertilisers and pesticides, which are used in conventional farming, as farmers can control the delivery of nutrients and have protection from pests in their closed systems.

• Water use is more efficient, so irrigation and evaporation losses are reduced.

• Production can be adapted to the exact conditions needed for different crops.

2. THE ROLE OF INDOOR SMART GARDENS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SMART AGRICULTURE IN URBAN AREAS (2023)

This paper revolved around smart gardens, which have emerged as a new form of urban farming. They harness technology and use sensors, Artificial Intelligence and automation to optimise plant growth and improve food production in urban areas.

These smart gardens can supposedly increase crop yield by 80%, as well as posing benefits to human health by giving urban residents access to nature and green spaces, which subsequently reduces stress.

It is estimated that by 2050, food production will need to be increased by 70% to meet the needs of an increasingly global population. It is forecast that the population will reach 9.7 billion people by then, with 68% expected to be living in urban areas.

3.

INDOOR VEGETABLE PRODUCTION: AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO INCREASING CULTIVATION (2022)

Critics believe that vertical farms will compete with the already stretched residential electricity supply, as most are in close proximity to cities and require large amount of energy to power the LEDs. These LEDs replicate daylight, meaning certain types of plants are able to grow indoors.

They consequently believe that the invention of more efficient and programmable LEDs, with the ability to switch off and on when needed, will help to reduce energy consumption and costs. The use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) and machine learning is expected to help this.

Additionally, progress needs to be made on the consumer's acceptance of vegetables produced in this less conventional method, as some reports found people to be more hesitant to eat the food from vertical farms.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

COOKERY EDUCATION

As part of my research into cookery education, I read a number of reports which have studied the relationship to cooking held by my stakeholders. The aim was to learn more about the reasoning behind poor cookery confidence, and the ways in which this can be addressed to help my own project.

4. CULINARY EFFICACY: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF SKILLS, CONFIDENCE, AND HEALTHY COOKING COMPETENCIES AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS (2016)

This study was made up of focus groups of 24 students. None of them had a university meal plan and were living away from their families.

Results showed that the students generally admiited to having an overreliance on processed and prepared foods, and consumed few fruits and vegetables.

Factors including lack of culinary knowledge and skill, financial instability, lifestyle constraints and inadequate access to healthy food options may have played a significant role in limiting the students' ability to prepare and consume healthy meals.

The study finishes by stating that early interventions in higher educational settings may be instrumental in engaging young adults to develop necessary culinary skills, confidence and healthy food habits. This could subseuqently have the potential to influence their health outcomes later on in life, which is the driving force behind my project - to tackle inadequate nutrition.

COMMUNITY COHESION (2011)

In Leeds, England, a cooking club study was carried out with the aim of promoting cooking skills, healthy eating and multi-cultural cohesion between four groups of 12-13 year old secondary school students. Half of the pupils had a pre-dominatly white British heritage, whilst the other half had twice the national average of ethinic minority students.

Before the study, 65% of pupils claimed to sometimes cook at home by themselves or with parents (usually making snacks or baking). After the study, there was a reported increase in all of the pupils' cooking and food preparation skills.

The club also succeeded in increasing pupils' enthusiasm with cooking, and helped contribute to their understanding of different cultures. The structure of the sessions involved making a different cultural meal each week, which taught all of the students about different types of meals and ingredients.

6. “MY ROOMATES WOULD LAUGH AT ME’: YOUNG MALES REVEAL EMBARRASSMENT OVER LACK OF FOOD SKILLS (2021)

This qualitative study asked 44 men aged 17-35 about their varying levels of food skills.

Most participants reported learning cooking skills from their mothers, and a greater involvement at a young age in the form of exposure to food skills at school and parental encouragement seemed to provide a solid foundation for being a cofident cook as an adult.

Knowledge with regards to food safety and storage was reported as the lowest, with many of the men claiming to be embarrassed about this infront of more confident and skilled peers.

SECONDARY RESEARCH

DIET ADVICE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

The aim of this research was to observe how diet advice on social media has been observed by researchers in the field. As I have been exposed to misinformation online, and my survey respondents also experienced this, I was keen to explore how this has been reported.

7. FOOD TRENDS AND POPULAR NUTRITION ADVICE ONLINE - IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH (2018)

In this study, nine facebook pages of popular dietary advice were reviewed to observe whether they followed the Australian Guidelines to Healthy Eating (AGHE).

Only two pages aligned with the guidelines, causing conflicting nutrition information for users of the site. The seven that failed to follow the guidelines were spreading misinformation and had overly-restrictive recommendations.

Some of the diet trends that were promoted included choosing coconut oil and pink salt because of a perceived health benefit, as well as arousing fear around fructose. These do not have scientific research to back them up, and some sites were even promtoing cutting out entire food groups.

The research I carried out over these pages has been useful to aid my understanding of vertical farming, cookery education and diet advice on social media.

With regards to the vertical farm, I will be designing my own to act as a food source for my restaurant, but this will not be the sole planting practice. I plan to have a greenhouse room alongside the vertical farm, to inform visitors about the furutre of food security whilst allowing them to partake in traditional practices.

As my site is situated in a relatively diverse area of Edinburgh, I intend to translate the information learned from the multi-cultural cooking club study into my cookery classes. These could collaborate with nearby schools to provide children with a range of skills and exposure to meals from other cultures.

Finally, I plan to provide nutrition classes and will have information boards and displays so that visitors can access reliable information.

PRECEDENT STUDIES

I generated these collages after my research into existing examples of places which grow plants, eat plants and cook plants, as well as others which could inspire my design development.

Over the following pages I will be dissecting my precedent studies, with more extensive information about their function, history and what has particularly inspired me.

GREENHOUSE AS A HOME, CHINA

I admire the differentiated zones and am inspired to create something similar, whilst having views into the respective zones as well. There is also a very wide variety of growing techniques which are interesting for the public to learn about and interact with, as well as several functions that focus on promoting good well-being and existing in harmony with plants.

I admire this type of building and how the designers how created such a large-scale greenhouse, which exists not only as an area to grow plants but also exists alongside events spaces and spa treatments. The form itself appears quite minimal, but a lot happens under the surface as the design features a loop for recycling wastewater. This means that the building's greywater is recycled to irrigate the plants, and is self-sufficient from the mains water supply. I think a system like this would translate well in my project.

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LEITH COMMUNITY CROFT, EDINBURGH

I visited these gardens on 15th October 2023 and was inspired by their range of community events and activities. When I went, their was a mindfulness class taking place, as well as a casual meeting of the volunteers in one of the greenhouses, and a couple of Mums visiting with their young children. It felt very open-to-anyone and informal, which I appreciated. Visitors are able to simply wander round, or get more involved with the planting if they desire.

I admire the use of sustainable and natural materials to reflect the crofts ethos whilst using an existing 20th century building. The space appears to be very sociable and brings together lots of different generations of residence with local markets and events etc. I intend for my building to have a similar role in the community.

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FARM: SHOP, LONDON

I am inspired by the range of growing techniques that are taking place on this site. The hydroponics and aquaponics are more modern and innovative, whilst the allotments and chicken coops are more traditional. It seems like a good place to learn about the different ways of growing, and I can imagine it would be interesting to eat their self-grown produce in the cafe.

THE GREEN HOUSE, UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS

I visited this restaurant for lunch on a trip to The Netherlands in Jaunary 2024. I really admired their healthy menu, comprised of lots of fresh ingredients, and how the kitchen feels so connected to the dining area. There was a variety of large, sociable tables as well as more solo ones, with people working on laptops or dining in a large group. It felt very relaxed and warm, despite being in such an industrial site, which is something I intend to replicate with my project.

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ROYAL

THE GARDEN MUSEUM, LONDON

I really enjoyed visiting this museum on 14th October 2023 as it has generated some new ideas for my project, whilst supporting some of my existing ones. For example, they have an initiative called ‘Sow, Grow, Eat’ which teaches local teenagers how to grow their own food, whilst teaching them about nutrition. This is the direction my brief is heading, so it was encouraging to see an existing example. Furthermore, I really admired how the cafe looks out onto the courtyard garden. It makes for a more enjoyable experience as you feel very connected to nature. I think I could design something similar by utilising my site’s connection to the outside yard. The museum also holds cookery classes for young people, which is a large aspect of my project.

I have visited this site many times and am really fond of the range of things to do. There are a number of different gardens, some indoors and most outdoors, as well as a fruit and vegetable growing area. I observed some raised planters (photographed above) which I intend to translate into my design, because these are useful for older people so they don't have to bend down, as well as wheelchair users. The John Hope Gateway restaurant also offers a healthy menu and has a large, informal seating area which is popular

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TIBITS, LONDON

I have visited Tibits several times in the past, before it unfortunately closed down, and really enjoyed the buffet-style of serving yourself. I can imagine that this generates less food waste and more customer satisfaction, as you are able to choose exactly what you want to eat. As someone that has a lot of allergies, it creates more options as you can create your perfect meal, whilst trying interesting looking food that you may have not otherwise have been drawn to. I think the visual nature of the food selection is more appropriate than a written menu to encourage people to eat more plants, as they are cooked to look appealing, rather than boring.

I am really inspired by their use of unique materials that support local designers. They all seem to be very natural, but not boring, which is mirrored in their extensive menu and salad bar. The expansive view onto the water is obviously also very admirable, and has inspired me to consider locating my restaurant on the first floor of my site.

TATHA, DUNDEE, SCOTLAND

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FOODWORKS COOKERY SCHOOL, CHELTENHAM, ENGLAND

Focus on using fresh ingredients which is what I want to implement into my project. They also have a herb garden, which aligns with my theme of growing plants on site. The range of classes and catering to all abilities is also inspiring. Furthermore, the voluminous space is similar in size to the fire station.

THE COOKERY SCHOOL AT THE GRAND, YORK, ENGLAND

I really like the warm materials they’ve used, it makes the space appear cosy when it was probably quite cold and dark originally, This could perhaps be applied to my project. Furthermore, I like how large and communal the workstations are. They are organised neatly and I think the demonstration area would perform really well at the front.

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WEST PORT GARDEN

I am inspired by the garden's ability to provide access to nature in such a steep, unassuming location. It is positioned right next to traffic but still manages to provide tranquility to its members. The garden is a vital community resource a many residents do not have access to private gardens. Potatoes and other vegetables are grown in vegetable boxes, and there is a small pond.

I admire their mission and the company's dirving force. They say that growing and cooking food can reduce stress, and that the patience and responsibility of gardening teaches life skills. Additionally, their aim is to make 'producers, not consumers', which aligns with the theme of my project in regards to environmental sustainability and taking action.

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NUMBER 11 HOUSE, SRI LANKA

I admire how Bawa incorporated nature so unapologetically into this house. With the eccletic mix of global decor and predominantly clean, white walls, the trees and plants that bridge the gap from inside to outside act like pieces of furniture in their own right. Obviously Scotland's weather would not stand up to such a blurred line between inside and outside, but I am keen to translate the concept of feeling like the lines are blurred into my design.

I am inspired by the scale of this green wall and how much life it brings to the side of the road in the city.

I intend to feature a living wall as part of my final design, to create intrigue from the street level and make it clear that my project's focus is on planting. They also have positive health benefits, as plants help to purify the air and could combat pollutants from the street.

CAIXIA FORUM, MADRID, SPAIN

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GARDENER'S COTTAGE, EDINBURGH

I am sinpired by the restaurant growing their own food, and the cosy atmosphere in which they serve their food. As the building itself used to function as a gardener's cottage, there is a nice history behind it. I don't intend to replicate the fine dining approach, or the small-scale of it, but I admire the narrative and their local, sustainable approach.

I admire the pub's ethos and how they view rooftop as underused spaces in the city. Their garden helps educate the community and is open to new volunteers, which harnesses social interaction and a sense of belonging. The growing itself is all organic and food is grown all-year round. Companion planting is utilised to prevent the need for pesticides.

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PRECEDENT STUDIES - MATERIALS

As part of my main space design proposal I generated a material specification and had to determine the entire materiality of the space.

This led to further precedent study research, focusing solely on what inspired me about the material choices.

VILLA MAIREA, FINLAND

I am very inspired by Aalto's use of timber poles in the house. These mimick the trees outside the home and are arranged with varying distances inbetween. The poles, as opposed to slats, mimick tree trunks and are the reason I decided to use cherry timber poles in my design, as opposed to rectangular pieces.

THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AT THE SPINE, LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND

I really admire how this staircase acts as a focal point within the design, and encourages people to walk up it. The warmth of the stair lighting is an aspect I intend to replicate in my design, and the use of timber adds to the warmth. This helps to balance out the concrete. The form is seamless and takes up more space with the hole in the middle, as opposed to a spiral stair.

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AYDEN OFFICE, AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

I was surpised to find planters with such a similar form to my design. They appear to be a similar scale and are gently curved in the same way. Whilst I did explore the idea of using these specific materials, I realised that they are not completely water resistant, so decided not to pursue the idea. Because my space encourages community interaction, I will have to chose a material that can handle water splashes. Nonetheless, I admire how they are narrow in width, allowing for the curved form.

I really admire the restaurant’s use of interesting natural and innovative materials, which reflect the business’s ethos perfectly. I intend to have a similar connection to my plant theme by researching new kinds of plant-focused materials when I come to the design stage. Furthermore, their zero-waste concept is really inspiring and is something I am keen to learn more about with regards to the logistics, as I think it is important that my project’s restaurant discourages from wasting food unless absolutely necessary.

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BRIDGE PLAZA, LITHUANIA

The railings are what drew me to the project, as I was inspired by the Villa Mairea poles and thought about having a more intricate design. Additionally, the weight and expansion of the concrete base appears weightless as it links the two areas so seamlessly. My site is made largely from concrete, so this project has inspired by greenhouse bridges.

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DESIGN PROCESS

The design process for this project involved an initial esquisse week, exploring the building's desired atmosphere then continuing to generate rough layout iterations.

These iterations the developed into more concrete ideas within the space, which also underwent a series of alterations over the weeks.

The following pages illustrate the process I went through to come to my resolved design, and I have also included several diagramatic images - which display my approach.

ESQUISSE

This drawings on the right are the first of my spatial esquisse sketches. In the first one, I translated my atmospheric drawing from the previous page into this 3D concept image.

I wanted to illustrate how the site is taken over my plants and other activities, making it a bussling place.

The other two drawings demonstrate my approach in starting to think about the building's layout, as well as observing the locations where the sunlight would be most prominent. This is because my project revolves around planting and will play an important role in my design decisions.

CONCEPT DIAGRAMS

These three concept diagrams illustrate my approach with the design in regards to the site.

The first one, on the right, demonstrates the zones I have created with the building.

The protruding structure represent the insertion of my greenhouse room, which removed almost all of the existing ceiling, walls and doors to reveal the existing concrete grid structure - in which lots of daylight can eneter.

This is the concept for my vertical farm, in the fire drill tower.

At approximately 15.5m tall, there was lots of vertical space to work with so it seemed natural to transform this unusual space into an urban farm.

The yellow/green represents the stacks of planting, each of which are illuminated above by LEDs. The staircase around can be used by visitors, whilst the platform lift in the centre is function for the staff to replace and maintain the planting.

This diagram above represents my grand gesture. As mentioned, I have removed most of the ceiling, walls and fire engine bays doors (in red) to allow for lots of sunlight into the space (in yellow).

DESIGN ITERATIONS

GROUND FLOOR 1

FIRST FLOOR 1

These were my earliest iterations of the floor layouts. I played around with the idea of putting the vertical farm inside, perhaps in close proximity to the restaurant (as seen in my third and fourth iterations over the page).

FIRST FLOOR 2

These first esquisse sketches were meant to be done very quickly and purposefully varied, meaning I did not come up with solid reasons to move around certain functions. However, as I made progress with my layout and favoured the placement of certain areas, my design decisions became more intentional.

GROUND FLOOR 2

GROUND FLOOR 3

FIRST FLOOR 3

GROUND FLOOR 4

FIRST FLOOR 4

I developed my fourth iteration from the esquisse sketches here, and attempted to draw the elements somewhat to scale. This helped me grasp how large the site is, which is helpful because I will require lots of space for the planting.

This section sketch helped me to imagine how the design would work vertically. The ceilings in the site are very tall and it was useful to consider how it might feel for a person to be inside, as opposed to just laying rooms out in plan.

COLLAGING

In response to my section sketch, I generated these section collages using my precedent study images. This exercise helped bring the project to life for me visually.

This conceptual collage illustrates my skylight concept.

I considered having cork furniture in my main space but, as this isn’t completely water resistant I ended up removing it.

I thought about hanging plants from the ceiling to diffuse the natural light coming through the skylight, but changed the idea because I think logistically it would be very complex.

I initially thought about having an outdoor flooring inside, to blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors. This would perhaps be cobbled stone, to reflect Edinburgh’s cobbles.

I started thinking about my planters and was inspired by the existing trees outside. Apparently the trees outside are rowan whitebeam, so I was inspired to bring the existing species inside.

In continuation with the collaging of ideas, over the next couple of pages I have present three concept collages that I generated of my developing materiality choices.

These ended up being changed, was was useful in terms of deciding a visual colour palette for the project, in addition to the sort of finished that I might want.

A concept collage of material ideas for the ground floor in my main space

Metro tiles on the sides of the planterss, with a concrete top

The parquet flooring idea, using red terracotta tiles, sandstone tiles and cork floor tiles

timber ceiling

A concept collage of material ideas for the first floor in my main space

Brass railing and cherry timber handrails along the walkways

Sandstone floor tiles (as sandstone is commonly found in Edinburgh).

A concept collage of material ideas for the staircase outside my greenhouse room

Metro tiles on the stair balustrades, reflecting the metro tiles commonly seen in historic Scottish fire station pole drops (e.g Tollcross).

Cork floor tiles also arranged in a parquet pattern, on the floor beneath the staircase. The parquet shape was inspired by the L-shape of the building.

Cherry

Terracotta tiling on the floor and planters of the greenhouse room

Green clay plaster on the ceiling and walls of the first floor space

Cherry timber poles on the partition wall and staircase, as well as inside the greenhouse on the first floor railings.

This section collage, combining my developing AutoCAD drawing with images of my proposed materials, helped me imagine the space better.

SKETCHES

These next pages are a collation of sketches which demonstrate some pivotal changes that the design of my main space underwent. I played with idea of having three floor materials arranged in a parquet pattern, as well as having entriely brass risers on my staircase.

Eventually, I landed on the idea of having a series of poles arranged around the main space, to create a partition. This was needed as the greenhouse room will likely require different climatic conditions, so in response to feedback I designed a curved wall structure (displayed on page 82).

A developed sketch of my partition wall proposal, which would separate the greenhouse room from the rest of the building.

Initially I thought of the cherry timber structures being slats, but made them poles after seeing Villa Mairea and realising the connection to the firemans' poles.

On the left is a repeat pattern that I generated as part of a studio session exercise.

As my project centres around growing, cooking and eating plants, I sketched a series of fruit and vegetables that were on my planting chart as appropriate things to grow.

I ended up trasnforming this design into wallpaper and applying it to the walls in the restaurant, which can be seen in my 3D visual section.

FINAL DESIGN

The next series of pages display my final design of Lus.

Firstly, I have included my 3D visuals to get the clearest sense of how it feels to be in the space.

Then there is my isometric digital model, explaining how each of the zones relates to each other, and then my technical drawings describe in depth the general arrangement and design of my project.

On the right is the key image of my project. This brings to life the main space of my proposal, which is the doubleheight greenhouse room.

RESTAURANT DINING AREA

DIGITAL MODEL

This is my digital model. I have numbered each of the main spaces within the building, to show their relationship to one another:

1 = Entrance / Reception

2 = Greenhouse Room

3 = Staff Area

4 = Outdoor Planting and Vertical Farm

5 = Restaurant Self-Service Area

6 = Restaurant Dining Area

7 = Cookery Classroom Dining Area

8 = Cookery Classrooms

9 = Greenhouse Room Walkways

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

FIRST FLOOR PLAN

GROUND FLOOR FINISHES

SECTIONS

ELEVATION

STAIRCASE DETAIL

PLANTER DETAIL

PLANTER MODEL

I generated this 3D model of my planter design using SketchUp, and rendered it with V-Ray.

The image on the right is an isometric view of the design, featuring it being used by people.

I added plants here to bring the image to life, but have focused solely on the planter's design over the next two pages.

Isometric

Side View

Front View

REFERENCES

SECONDARY RESEARCH SOURCES:

1. https://indigo.uic.edu/articles/journal_contribution/The_Plant_An_experiment_in_urban_food_sustainabili ty/17159402#:~:text=across%20the%20world.-,This%20article%20presents%20a%20case%20study%20of%20 The%20Plant%2C%20a,businesses%20committed%20to%20reducing%20waste.

2. https://www.ea.bg.ac.rs/index.php/EA/article/view/2198#:~:text=Our%20review%20of%20the%20 literature,human%20health%20in%20urban%20areas.

3. https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/21/2843

4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26337066/#:~:text=Conclusions%3A%20Factors%20such%20as%20 lack,prepare%20and%20consume%20healthy%20meals.

5. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2010.01877.x

6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33320775/

7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6194095/

FIG. 1: Digimap

FIG. 2, 3 & 4:My photograph

FIG. 5: https://nationalworld.newsprints.co.uk/23445712-the-piledriver-sinks-the-first-pile-of-the-new-firestation-at-mcdonald-road-in-edinburgh-august-1964/

FIG. 6: http://www.graemekirkwood.co.uk/LB/Photos/50-1.htm

FIG. 7: https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/independent-report/2020/06/ local-area-inspection-city-edinburgh/documents/hm-fire-service-inspectorate-local-area-inspection-cityedinburgh/hm-fire-service-inspectorate-local-area-inspection-city-edinburgh/govscot%3Adocument/hm-fireservice-inspectorate-local-area-inspection-city-edinburgh.pdf

FIG. 8: https://www.wienerberger.co.uk/reference-projects/mcdonald-road-fire-station.html

FIG. 9: Digimap

FIG. 10: Digimap

FIG. 11: My drawing

FIG. 12: My drawing

FIG. 13: Digimap

FIG. 14: Digimap

FIG. 15: Digimap

FIG. 16: Digimap

FIG. 17: https://www.vladi-private-islands.de/en/island-archive/archive/europe-atlantic/sweden/uppgrennanature-house

FIG. 18: https://www.archdaily.com/902060/greenhouse-as-a-home-bias-architects/5b9a5767f197cc3ada000271greenhouse-as-a-home-bias-architects-photo

FIG. 19: My Photograph

FIG. 20: https://www.earth-in-common.org/leith-community-croft

FIG. 21: My Photograph

FIG. 22: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.somethingandson.com%2Fwork%2Ffar mshop&psig=AOvVaw0bu5aSJzNUaxVJc1rZV0J6&ust=1714593665088000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=8997 8449&ved=0CAQQjB1qFwoTCOjwmKTd6oUDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

FIG. 23: https://www.cullinanstudio.com/royal-botanical-gardens

FIG. 24: My Photograph

FIG. 25: https://interiordesignermagazine.co.uk/2019/07/29/emrys-architects-designs-second-tibits-restaurant/

FIG. 26: https://restaurantandbardesignawards.com/entry/8598

FIG. 27: https://www.thegrandyork.co.uk/cookery-school/corporate/

FIG. 28: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=934486798678910&set=pb.100063527952517.2207520000&type=3

FIG. 29: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=788286493297125&set=pb.100063473446228.2207520000&type=3

FIG. 30: https://www.facebook.com/lostedinburgh/photos/a.251802618210762/1160283897362625/?type=3

FIG. 31: https://www.worldofinteriors.com/story/geoffrey-bawa-number-11-colombo

FIG. 32: https://www.greenroofs.com/projects/caixa-forum-museum-vertical-garden/

FIG. 33: https://www.theculpeper.com/rooftop/

FIG. 34: https://www.thoroughlymodernmilly.com/2015/06/the-gardeners-cottage-edinburgh/

FIG 35: https://www.bdp.com/en/projects/p-z/royal-college-of-physicians-at-the-spine/

FIG 36: https://www.artek.fi/en/stories/the-aaltos-at-villa-mairea-a-more-human-light

FIG. 37: https://www.citylikeyou.com/london/people/halina-hoffmann/places/silo-london

FIG. 38: https://www.stonecycling.com/projects/future-proof-office-space-amsterdam/

FIG. 39: https://www.designboom.com/architecture/pedestrian-bridge-plaza-lithuanian-city-center-public-parkabout-isora-x-lozuraityte-07-22-2023/