ENTRANCE EDUCATION

Building a boulevard within the city of Belfast could help to connect the two communities and promote social cohesion. The boulevard would provide central public space that is accessible to all residents of the city, regardless of their background or community affiliation. By creating a shared public space, the boulevard would encourage interaction and dialogue between people from different communities, helping to break down barriers and foster understanding. Additionally, the boulevard could be designed to celebrate the cultural heritage of both communities, incorporating public art and design elements that reflect the city’s diverse history and traditions. This would create a sense of shared ownership and pride in the space, further strengthening the connections between the communities. It has the potential to promote social cohesion, break down barriers, and celebrate the diversity of the city’s communities.

Outdoor Comfort

Building design to provide for creation of micro-climates for comfortable outdoor social spaces. Having a boulevard promotes social cohesion and creates a central public space that is accessible to all residents of Belfast, regardless of their community affiliation

Natural Ventilation

The natural ventilation is SIMPLE and ROBUST. The environment design approach for the building aims at maximizing naturally ventilated spaces.

An integrated ventilation system is an efficient solution designed to maintain optimal air quality and comfort in indoor environments. It combines various components and technologies to ensure proper ventilation and air circulation throughout a building. It works by drawing in fresh air from outside, filtering and conditioning it, and then distributing it evenly through the space.

By using the building cores, it is an innovative approach to promote natural ventilation. They are used as vertical channels for the movement of air. By implementing appropriate design measures, such as openings at different levels and natural airflow pathways, the building cores becomes vertical ventilation systems.

Rainwater Management

An integrated pedestal roof system for rainwater management effectively will collect, store and manage rainwater, reducing the strain on municipal water supplies and mitigating the risk of flooding. The raised pedestal support system facilitates the installation of drainage and retention components, allowing rainwater to be efficiently captured and channelled. Collected rainwater can be utilised for various purposes such as toilet flushing or cooling systems, thereby promoting water conservation and reducing operational costs. By implementing integrated pedestal reef systems for rainwater management, larger buildings can embrace sustainable practises while effectively harnessing the benefits of rainwater for their daily operations.

Sunlight

Having skylights placed strategically placed on the building to maximise the use of natural daylight.

Daylight Penetration

Having a southeast - facing building receives an abundant of natural light during the morning hours when the sun is positioned in the southeastern sky. The orientation allows for effective utilization of daylight, resulting in reduced energy consumption for artifical lighting and more pleasant and open indoor environment. By having large structural glazed windows, this will maximize the entry of natural light.

Atrium Design And Large Floor To Ceiling Windows

Atrium design within a building offers a visually striking and functionally versatile space that enhances the overall aesthetics, connectivity and functionality of the structure. Having the large floor to ceiling windows, this allows natural light to flood the space. The atrium will provide opportunities for social interaction, collaboration and relaxation, acting as a gathering space for its occupants.

Cork

Using cork as the building’s exterior cladding is a great choice due to its remarkable low carbon footprint. It is a renewable material which offers numerous environmental benefits as it is harvested from the bark of cork oak trees

CLT - CROSS LAMINATED TIMBER

CLT is a prefabricated engineered wood which is composed of layers of timber boards glued together in altering directions. The production requires significantly less energy compared to traditional construction material resulting in substantially lower carbon emissions

VEGETATION / LANDSCAPE

Creating a landscape can increase vegetation and have a significant impact on reducing CO2 capture. Trees and plants have a crucial role in carbon sequestration as they absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and store it in their biomass and soil.

1 50mm cork exterior cladding

2 100mm Insulation

3 300mm CLT Wall

4 500mm CLT Floor

5 25mm waterproof membrane

6 Piled Foundation

7 Integrated ventilation system

8 350mm Cavity space 9 Support pedestals 10 100mm Insulation

11 100mm Plasterboard

12 400x575mm Timber beams

1 50mm cork panels

2 Support pedestals

3 100mm Insulation

4 100mm Plasterboard

5 25mm waterproof membrane

6 400x575mm timber beams

Adaptive Reuse

The climate emergency within Belfast has not only resulted in the permanent flooding of the Westlink but also damaging the homes of residents. When designing my flood relief centre, I wanted to re purpose the Orange Hall by using it as emergency apartments. By doing this, I can effectively address the urgent need for temporary accommodation for the individuals and families that are facing the housing crises from the flooding.

The large interior spaces of the Orange Hall can be transformed into well designed and comfortable living units, incorporating essential amenities while respecting the building’s architectural integrity. The adaptive reuse approach allows for a fast and cost-effective conversion, by utilizing the existing infrastructure and layout of the building.

With its central location and closeness to essential services, the Orange Hall is a perfect site to provide safe and secure temporary housing which offers a supportive environment for those in need. This adaptive reuse initiative not only revitalizes a significant heritage structure but also demonstrates the power of architecture to address social change, challenges and contributes to the well-being of the community.

My project on using adaptive reuse on the Orange Hall offers a multitude of advantages. It minimises the consumption of new resources, reduce construction waste and a decrease in the carbon footprint associated with any new construction. Additionally, by repurposing this existing building it can also be more cost effective then starting from scratch, making it an attractive option for any developers or investors. By integrating modern technologies and sustainable design strategies into this historic structure, adaptive reuse exemplifies the harmony between past and present, tradition and innovation.