ELENA HASTRY INTERIOR DESIGN BA(Hons) Studio 1 “Meanwhile in the City” www.becult.net
The area of South-East London, England, located between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Bexley was chosen back in the mid 1960s to be the solution for bringing families from the overcrowded inner part of London out to the new designed now called area Thamesmead. It has received its name from a winning entry newspaper competition. In the beginning of the 1500 century Augustinian monks were the first inhabitants known to have reclaimed and drained the marchland land. Afterwards the military (Royal Arsenal) occupied this land for producing and testing weapons until the early 1960s and was then sold by the government to the new owner Greater London Council (GLC) who started developing the future city of Thamesmead. began with its social
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In the year 1953 the area was flooded by the North Sea so the architecture and design of Thamesmead was adjusted to these circumstances by placing the living apartments and houses at first level or above and integrating overhead walkways and leaving ground level of the buildings as garage or storage space. At first `Brutalism` the concreate architectural style that was used to create Thamesmead was celebrated as the modernist utopian vision of the 21st century by winning several architectural awards. Greater London Council (GLC) promised to build one of Britain’s most ambitious postwar housing projects by combining a mix of terraced housing, maisonettes, with Corbusian towers.
The new area was supposed to provide 60,000 people with new modern homes and the original plans wanted to integrate nature and green space together with the segregation of motorists and pedestrians. Instead the Brutalist architecture, due to its sensitivity to humid whether conditions combined with its inhuman and cold appearence, supported the fast corrusion of the buildings. In the end this plan/concept did not work out for none of the participants: The first residence fled back to the city or the other areas leaving empty houses and since the mid 1970s Thamesmead began with its social decay.
The location is situated at Coralline Walk, Thamesmead which is part of a housing section built 1969 in a brutalism architectural style. Most of this location consist of concrete walkways, open courtyard and plenty of empty spaces where a 1 and 3 housing block can be found. Thamesmead’s special architecture that made this district popular in the beginning soon became aware of its failures: disillusionized residents surrounded by cold concrete buildings coated in graffiti. The houses were linked with elevated walkways, so that pedestrians moving between the blocks were out of the way of the traffic but these walkways soon became unsafe places to walk. At first the Thamesmead’s special architecture made this district popular in the beginning soon became aware of its failures: disillusionized residents surrounded by cold concrete buildings coated in graffiti.
LOCATION PLAN
PROJECT AREA CAROLINE WALK, SE29SS TUBE STATIONS GREEN AREAS WATERS
Many parts of Thamesmead have already been demolished to make room for the new housing project of Peabody Trust. Together with the London Borough of Bexley they are planning to deliver around 1,000 new homes at Coralline Walk, Binsey Walk and Sedgemere Road over the next years. Coralline Walk has been vacant for the last couple of years leaving hundreds of homes empty that are slowly decaying. The new concept will transform this loathsome area into a sustainable community while the new development process of the owner Peabody Trust is still in the planning stage for the next years.
STREET VIEW OF THE SITE
Coralline Walk, Thamesmead, SE2 Constructed: 1969 Architect/Designer: Sir Hubert Bennett. Greater London Council. Department of Architecture & Civic Design Owner past: Trust Thamesmead and Tilfen Land Owner present: Peabody Trust Original Function: Private Housing Façade: Rough Concrete Surface Building Materials: concrete, in combination of brick, glass, steel, and rough-hewn stone Type: Industrialized Buliding System Housing Zone: 3 3
EXISTING BUILDING 3D MODEL 4
The District of Thamesmead is now ready to be transformed into a “future city” combining important aspects of sustainability and biophilic design where people like to live, work and spend their leisure time. The past has proven that the government failed to meet the essential housing and community needs and didn’t invest in long term basis projects. Transforming a community nowadays means not to only think about the housing situation, but to focus on the needs of the human being and developing a sustainable community that fulfils the requirements of the future generation.`Meanwhile in the city` is part of a community business plan concept for the transformational community in the south-east of London. The location is situated at Coralline Walk in Thamesmead, which is part of a housing section built 1969 in the architectural style ‘brutalism’. Most of this location consists of concrete walkways, open courtyard and plenty of empty spaces, where a 1 and 3 housing block can also be found. The project is focused on creating a new social community life. The existing buildings in Coralline Walk will include a series of new activities: • Block No 1: organic food market, community garden, workshops, yoga and meditation classes etc.
COMMUNITY GARDEN
• Block No 2: Organic Café and Restaurant(with retail area), exhibitions and event space In the outside area a community gargen will be established where everybody can take part and the products grown there will be sold at the food market This community concept offers a unique approach: living, working, learning and sport activities, etc. all in one complex. The most important objective will be to provide sustainable quality, maximise the use of the venue and extend each visitor‘s time spent here.
ORGANIC FOOD MARKET 5
RECEPTION
ORGANIC CAFE AND RETAIL
EXHIBITION ROOM ORGANIC CAFE & RETAIL RECEPTION STORAGE
SINGLE BUILDING
WORKSHOP
YOGA STUDIO CHANGING ROOMS & TOILETS WORKSHOP RECEPTION
3 BLOCK BUILDING YOGA STUDIO 6
SECTION AA
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
SECTION BB
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GROUND FLOOR PLAN OF THE 3 BLOCK BUILDING
GROUND FLOOR PLAN OF THE SINGLE BUILDING
FIRST FLOOR PLAN OF THE 3 BLOCK BUILDING
FIRST FLOOR PLAN OF THE SINGLE BUILDING
SECOND FLOOR PLAN OF THE 3 BLOCK BUILDING
SECOND FLOOR PLAN OF THE SINGLE BUILDING
THIRD FLOOR PLAN OF THE 3 BLOCK BUILDING
THIRD FLOOR PLAN OF THE SINGLE BUILDING
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RECONSTITUTED STONE MARBLE EFFECT
BLACK WALNUT
COPPER FINISH
RECYCLED WOOD FLOOR
RECYCLED TILES
WHITE OAK TIMBER PLANK FLOOR
POLISHED CONCRETE
ORGANIC COTTON YOGA MAT
GREEN VELVET
ANTIQUE RUSTIC RECLAMED WOOD
BLUE VELVET
RECEPTION DESK
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3540
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330 100
330
50
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643
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2700
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STEEL FRAME SLIDING FOLDING DOOR
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EXAMPLE PICTURE
COMMUNITY GARDEN
ORGANIC FOOD MARKET
RECEPTION
EXHIBITION ROOM
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