Connie Futter Academic Portfolio July 2026

Connie Futter RIBA Part 1, First Class BA (Honours) Architecture Graduate Academic Portfolio Selected Works 25/26

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Aki(l)n (25/26)

North Shields Fishermen’s Library and Civic Centre (2025)

Supplementary Competitions / Projects

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Aki(l)n, Sharing Common Ground

My year-long graduating project, Aki(l)n, explores architecture as a tool for cultural repair, situated within the historic landscape of Bowness-on-Solway at the western edge of Hadrian’s Wall. Rooted in themes of shared heritage, making, and collective wellbeing, the proposal investigates how architecture can reconnect communities, histories, and landscapes through craft-based learning and engagement. The project brings together ceramics production, archaeological interpretation, exhibition spaces, and temporary residency accommodation within a community-focused framework. Drawing from both Roman material heritage and local Cumbrian construction traditions, it reimagines historic methods of building and firing through a contemporary stone bottle kiln that serves as both functional infrastructure and a symbol of regenerative practice, as well as reusing an existing barn structure. Through the integration of craft, archaeology, and landscape, Aki(l)n proposes a sustainable and socially engaged architecture that strengthens connections between place, people, and cultural memory.

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For the hiker, the painter, the meditator..

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1 - Barwise Brow 2 - Car Park / Bike Parking 3 - Lavender Field 4 - Grass area / Plant pots 5 - Lavender Field 6 - Display Barn / Gift Shop 7 - Path to Primary School 8 - Stair / Lift Lobby 9 - Classroom 10 - Plant Room 11 - Service Corridor 12 - WC’s 13 - Classroom 14 - Pottery Gallery 15 - Stair to Balcony 16 - Covered Walkway 17 - Ramp

18 - Workshop 19 - Storage room 20 - Staff Room 21 - Deliveries Room 22 - Plant Room 23 - WC’s 24 - Stair / Lift Lobby 25 - Sink area 26 - Service Entrance 27 - External Staircase 28 - Turning circle / Extra parking 29 - Kiln 30 - External seating 31 - Cafe 32 - Storage 33 - Galley Kitchen

Though the village is rooted deeply in it’s Roman history, it is imperative that the building’s composition caters to all. As the Solway Firth is a designated area of outstanding natural beauty, Bowness-On-Solway also sees tourist groups visiting for bird-watching, fishing and outdoor activities such as cycling. It is important my design also caters for these groups of people. The same goes for the large art community in Bowness and in Cumbria, for which spaces for an artist or person(s) in residence are designed. Multi-use exhibition spaces allow for pop-up yoga, meditation and well-being centred activities, allowing the design to act as a civic centre that goes further than just a Roman celebration.

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‘The Symposium is Here!’

This section, originally 1:200 on A2, depicts Aki(l)n amid an annual Pottery Symposium that is to be hosted in Bowness-On-Solway. The festival brings together both tourists and locals alike to celebrate the village and connect it to its past.

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1:20 Technical Section (2 Pages out of a 70 page Technology Report) - Roof to Floor Junction details. Section taken through Workshop space of proposal To reach a level of verdigris, the copper can take between 5-20 years to fully patinate, solely dependent on environmental conditions.

Course of window if opened BSI Kitemarked Sunsquare Horizon Glass Panel, 25mm Insulating Glass Unit with laminated inner pane 5mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Flashing Black opaque band to conceal frame details Protective Timber baton Factory glazed frame constructed from extruded aluminium profile, thermally broken with polyamide insulation sections 60x25mm Support Timber Batons

Construction Worker uses temporary Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) to provide safe access for roof construction and maintenance

20mm Interior Plywood Flashing Finish to conceal frame details

Author’s Own, Roof to Skylight Junction

Construction Worker uses temporary Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) to provide safe access for roof construction and maintenance

Drip Flashing Hidden Gutter Detail 20mm Jewson Plywood Sheet Flooring 15mm Acoustic Flooring Matt (Hush-Mat 15) 100mm Plywood Sheathing Simpson Strong Tie Galvanised Multi-Angle Bracket 200m Exposed Interior CLT coated with Osmo Overcoat 20mm Eco-Therm Eco-Cavity Insulation Resilient Bar

Construction Worker uses temporary Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) to provide safe access for roof construction and maintenance

MVHR Duct 15mm Gyproc Soundbloc Layer 15mm Plywood Panel Ceiling 100mm Eco-Therm Wood-Fibre Insulation Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) 100mm Ventilated Air Cavity

Author’s Own, Intermediate Floor Junction

1 5mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Flashing 2 BSI Kitemarked Sunsquare Horizon Glass Panel, 25mm Insulating Glass Unit with laminated inner pane and Factory glazed frame constructed from extruded aluminium profile, Thermally broken with polyamide insulation sections 3 60x25mm Support Timber Batons 4 3x180mm Opaque black band on glass to conceal frame details 5 20mm Interior Plywood Flashing Finish to conceal frame details 6 7mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Cladding to EN-1172 7 7mm Structural Plywood Sheathing to BS EN 636-3 8 100mm Ventilated Air Cavity 9 Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) 10 150mm Eco-therm Wood-Fibre Insulation 11 200m Exposed Interior CLT coated with Osmo Overcoat 12 Simpson Strong Tie Galvanised Multi-Angle Bracket 13 Drip Flashing 14 Hidden Gutter Detail 15 20mm Jewson Plywood Sheet Flooring 16 15mm Acoustic Flooring Matt (Hush-Mat 15) 17 20mm Eco-Therm Eco-Cavity Insulation 18 100mm Plywood Sheathing

19 100mm Eco-Therm Wood-Fibre Insulation 20 Resilient Bar 21 250mm Service Ceilinhg 22 Service HVAC Duct 23 15mm Gyproc Soundbloc Layer 24 15mm Plywood Panel Ceiling 25 Hanging LED Light 26 20x50mm Interior Timber Joist Finish 20x50mm Interior Timber Joist Finish 27 5mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Cladding 28 Sliding Door 29 50mm Concrete Permeable Paving 30 100mm Concrete Screed 31 100mm Sand Setting Bed 32 Floor Air Vent / Heater 33 130mm Eco-Therm Eco Cavity Insulation 34 100mm Crushed stone subgrade 35 200mm Reinforced concrete slab 36 Damp Proof Course (DPC) 37 50mm Sand 38 100mm Hardcore

1 5mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Flashing 2 BSI Kitemarked Sunsquare Horizon Glass Panel, 25mm Insulating Glass Unit with laminated inner pane and Factory glazed frame constructed from extruded aluminium profile, Thermally broken with polyamide insulation sections 3 60x25mm Support Timber Batons 4 3x180mm Opaque black band on glass to conceal frame details 5 20mm Interior Plywood Flashing Finish to conceal frame details 6 7mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Cladding to EN-1172 7 7mm Structural Plywood Sheathing to BS EN 636-3 8 100mm Ventilated Air Cavity 9 Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) 10 150mm Eco-therm Wood-Fibre Insulation 11 200m Exposed Interior CLT coated with Osmo Overcoat 12 Simpson Strong Tie Galvanised Multi-Angle Bracket 13 Drip Flashing 14 Hidden Gutter Detail 15 20mm Jewson Plywood Sheet Flooring 16 15mm Acoustic Flooring Matt (Hush-Mat 15) 17 20mm Eco-Therm Eco-Cavity Insulation 18 100mm Plywood Sheathing

7mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Cladding to EN-1172 7mm Structural Plywood Sheathing to BS EN 636-3 Sliding Door 100mm Concrete Screed 20mm Insulation Floor Air / Heater Trench

19 100mm Eco-Therm Wood-Fibre Insulation 20 Resilient Bar 21 250mm Service Ceilinhg 22 Service HVAC Duct 23 15mm Gyproc Soundbloc Layer 24 15mm Plywood Panel Ceiling 25 Hanging LED Light 26 20x50mm Interior Timber Joist Finish 20x50mm Interior Timber Joist Finish 27 5mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Cladding 28 Sliding Door 29 50mm Concrete Permeable Paving 30 100mm Concrete Screed 31 100mm Sand Setting Bed 32 Floor Air Vent / Heater 33 130mm Eco-Therm Eco Cavity Insulation 34 100mm Crushed stone subgrade 35 200mm Reinforced concrete slab 36 Damp Proof Course (DPC) 37 50mm Sand 38 100mm Hardcore

50mm Concrete Permeable Paving 100mm Concrete Screed 130mm Eco-Therm Eco Cavity Insulation 100mm Sand Setting Bed 200mm Reinforced concrete slab Damp Proof Course (DPC) Specification Lines Damp Proof Membrane Course

50mm Sand 100mm Hardcore Author’s Own, Floor to Wall Junction

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1 5mm Cu-DHP Copper Rainscreen Flashing 2 BSI Kitemarked Sunsquare Horizon Glass Panel, 25mm Insulating Glass Unit with laminated inner pane and Factory glazed frame constructed from extruded aluminium profile, Thermally broken with polyamide insulation sections 3 60x25mm Support Timber Batons 4 3x180mm Opaque black band on glass to conceal frame details 5 20mm Interior Plywood Flashing Finish to conceal frame details

19 100mm Eco-Therm Wood-Fibre Insulation 20 Resilient Bar 21 250mm Service Ceilinhg 22 Service HVAC Duct 23 15mm Gyproc Soundbloc Layer 24 15mm Plywood Panel Ceiling 25 Hanging LED Light

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North Shields Fishermen’s Library and Civic Centre

Second Year, Second Semester Design Project: My proposal for a Civic Centre and Fishermen’s Library in North Shields, North Tyneside connects both people and acts a civic ‘social condenser’ which fosters socialisation and promotes mental wellbeing while educating the population and tourists on the history of the well-loved town as well as connecting the town centre to the fish quay and acting as a stop along the journey of the heritage trail and the fish quay and vice versa. The proposals main space, a central auditorium would be the central hub for the towns 800-year festival, hosting art installations, book talks, music performances andacts as a central point for those connecting themselves from the town centre to the quay.

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My undergraduate dissertation re-examines the demolition of Robin Hood Gardens, arguing that its destruction reflected political and social neglect rather than architectural failure. Instead of accepting the narrative that the estate was beyond saving, I explored how decades of underinvestment, poor management, and prejudice towards social housing shaped its decline. Using the Smithsons’ social vision as a foundation, I argue that Robin Hood Gardens became a victim of changing attitudes towards working-class housing, rather than flawed design. The project also gave greater weight to residents’ experiences, challenging the official narratives promoted by government and the media. Viewed through today’s housing crisis, the dissertation advocates for refurbishment over demolition, questioning why viable housing stock continues to be erased while affordable homes become increasingly scarce. It takes a strong position that post-war housing should be recognised as an important part of Britain’s architectural heritage and argues that preserving and adapting existing buildings is both a more socially responsible and environmentally sustainable alternative to demolition. Ultimately, I contend that the loss of Robin Hood Gardens says more about society’s willingness to abandon its architectural and social heritage than it does about the building itself.

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TIDING

‘a group of magpies’

To enforce Newcastle as the beating heart of the region, we must acknowledge the pulse; the black and white army.

The Tiding initiative (group of magpies) lies on route from the train station to St James park, inviting football fans, specifically young teens - mid twenties, to engage with a dedicated space for football-driven social interaction that fosters healthy and inclusive football culture in the city.

Perching under the shadow of St James’ park, the steel structure is heavily influenced by the stadium itself, invoking a sense of belonging in its architectonic. The light-weight, moveable timber pallets act as celebratory and educational boards that recognise the impact of football culture in the city. In between, flexible chairs and playspaces allow the wider public to inhabit the space. The spherical ephemeral repurposed-scaffolding steel pavilion that facilities and celebrates a diverse and changing football culture by spotlighting local footy legends, old and new.

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Isometric

Plans

Newcastle University X Northumbria University 8-Hour Competition First Place 14