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© Crown copyright and database rights 2025 Ordnance Survey (AC0000851941). FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY.
Site Location: 152 - 154 Blackhorse Road
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Projection: British National Grid 12 March 2025 13:31
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Site Accessibility Circulation
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Restaurants Supermarket Traffic zone Blackhorse Train Station (public transport)
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School Bus Stop Site Location: 152 - 154 Blackhorse Road E17 6JT London
The proposed site benefits from excellent public transport links, including several bus routes, dedicated cycling paths, and close proximity to Blackhorse Road underground station, making it highly accessible and practical for everyday use. This strong connectivity supports the development of inclusive and user-friendly spaces that cater to a wide range of people. Additionally, Walthamstow is rich in green spaces that enhance the area’s character and livability. The Walthamstow Wetlands—one of Europe’s largest urban nature reserves—provides open access to nature with scenic walking trails, reservoirs, and diverse wildlife just minutes from the city environment. Complementing this are numerous parks, smaller green pockets, and tree-lined streets that soften the urban landscape and offer peaceful spaces for rest and recreation. These natural assets contribute to a healthier, more balanced setting, reinforcing Walthamstow as a place where thoughtful, inclusive urban design can thrive.
Site Opportunities
• Encourages Community Use: A building that’s easy to reach encourages more people from different parts of the area to use it—not just those who live nearb
• More People Notice It: People waiting at the bus stop will see the building every day. That means more people will become aware of what the building is or what it offers. designing a space that’s open to the public (like for workshops or exhibitions), this increases visibility and interest.
• Easy to Get To: Because there’s a bus stop right in front of the site, people who don’t drive (like students, elderly people, or community members) can come easily by public transport. This makes your building more accessible.
• There is a school directly across the road from the site. This gives the proposed design a strong opportunity to support school-related activities in the future. For example, the new building could include space for creative or hands-on learning that school groups might use during visits.
Site Photography
Front side View
Back view (car parking) Front View
Entrance
Brick stone cladding
Green polished marble
Concrete
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Second Floor 1 : 100
Brief Introduction For my Module 302 project, I have chosen pottery as the main theme. Pottery is the art of shaping and firing clay to make useful or decorative items, and it will inspire the design of a creative community space at 152-154 Blackhorse Road. The building is easy to reach, has good sunlight, and a flexible layout, making it a great place for workshops, art sessions, and exhibitions. I want to use natural, clay-like shapes and textures in the design to make the space feel warm and inviting. The project will give people a chance to learn new skills, be creative, and connect with others. The back parking area could also be used for outdoor kilns or small markets. This project will help bring more art, learning, and community activity to the area.
Outdoor Area Staff Office / Admin Room
market
Kiln Room Separate and well-ventilated
For planning and managing the space
Storage for clay
Clay Preparation Area
Workshop / Studio Area
Showcasing student and artist work
Pottery Making Classes for school students
Welcoming area
Entrance / Reception
Exhibition / Display Space
A Study of My Chosen Maker
Process of Making Pottery Preparing the Clay – The clay is cleaned, kneaded, and shaped to remove air bubbles.
The History of Pottery What is Pottery?
Pottery has been around since ancient times and is one of the oldest inventions by humans. The earliest pottery dates back to around 29,000 BC, with one famous piece being the Venus of Dolni Vestonice, a clay figure of a woman found in the Czech Republic.
Pottery is the art of making objects like bowls, plates, and vases out of clay. The clay is shaped, dried, and then baked in a hot oven (called a kiln) to make it hard. People have been making pottery for thousands of years to use in daily life and as decoration.
Prehistoric Pottery (c. 14,000 BCE - 3,000 BCE)
c. 10,000 BCE: Pottery appears in China, the Middle East, and Africa, mainly for food storage and cooking.
Shaping – The clay is molded by hand, on a potter’s wheel, or in a mold to form the desired shape.
Ancient Civilizations (3,000 BCE - 500 CE)
Since clay is easy to find, early humans could shape it into various forms like figurines, bowls, and tools by hand. Once they discovered fire, they realized heating clay made it hard and permanent, turning it into useful items for everyday life, like bowls and utensils for cooking and storing food. As human civilization grew, pottery continued to develop alongside it, helping people survive and improve their quality of life.
Medieval & Islamic Pottery (500 - 1500 CE)
Renaissance to Early Industrial Age (1500 - 1800 CE)
18th-Century English Pottery
Drying – The shaped clay is left to air dry until it becomes firm (called "leather-hard") and then fully dries. Firing (First Baking) – The dried clay is placed in a kiln (a special oven) and heated at high temperatures to harden it. This is called bisque firing. Glazing – A liquid glass-like coating (glaze) is applied to add color, shine, and make the pottery waterproof. Firing Again – The glazed pottery is fired again in the kiln to set the glaze and make the pottery strong and durable.
19th Century Pottery (1800s)
Early 20th Century Pottery (1900s 1940s)
21st Century Pottery (2000s - Present Day)
An English pottery two-handled vase, late 19th/early 20th century, Minoan pottery from Crete (around 2,000 BCE)
Islamic Terracotta Jug with Molded Decorations, 800 CE - 1200 CE
During the period from 1500 to 1800 CE, spanning the Renaissance to the Early Industrial Age, pottery and ceramics underwent significant transformations across Europe.
Agatware vase and cover English 18th century pottery Josiah Wedgwood Staffordshire
The 18th century was an important time for English pottery. Many new ideas and styles were created, making pottery more advanced and unique.
This deep pottery bowl comes from Japan’s Middle Jomon period (about 3500–2500 B.C.)
Roman Terra Sigillata (Roman Empire, c. 1st century BCE - 3rd century CE)
Medieval pottery, crafted between 500 and 1500 CE
During the Industrial Revolution (late 18th to 19th century), factories started producing pottery in large amounts and more efficiently. This made ceramics cheaper and easier to get, so more people could afford them.
Contemporary Studio Pottery: Pottery today combines traditional techniques with modern designs. Artists focus on sustainability and unique expressions.
14th-century Kiln
Brick kiln, 1871
In 14th-century medieval Britain, kilns improved how pottery and tiles were made. Built from clay and stone, these updraft kilns had a fire at the bottom and pottery stacked above. Hot air rose through the chamber, helping control heat and airflow better than older kilns. They were mostly wood-fired, though coal was used later. These kilns were used to make everyday pottery, roof tiles, and floor tiles, especially in towns and monasteries. They were more efficient and could be reused, unlike earlier temporary kilns.
During the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, kiln technology improved a lot. Bottle kilns became common for making ceramics. In the mid-1800s, the Hoffmann kiln was introduced, which allowed bricks and tiles to be fired continuously. Kilns became more advanced, with better airflow and greater efficiency, making large-scale production easier. In 1871, a young girl is seen tending the fire holes of a brick kiln. At the time, it was estimated that between 20,000 and 30,000 children aged 5 to 16 were employed in British brickyards.
1956: The Clean Air Act was passed in the UK
Emerged in the late 17th century
Did
They
The use of bottle kilns in North Staffordshire, especially in Stoke-on-Trent, came to an end in the late 1960s to early 1970s because of new air pollution laws. These kilns released a lot of smoke and harmful gases, which led to serious air quality problems. To protect public health and the environment, the government introduced strict regulations, forcing traditional bottle kilns to be replaced by cleaner and more modern firing methods.
Stop
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Clean Air Act 1953
Pollution has been a major problem in the Potteries because of the large number of kilns. It was not uncommon for the sun to be virtually blacked out by the smoke. Development Bottle kilns, named for their distinctive bottle-like shape, emerged in the late 17th century and became a prevalent method for firing pottery in North Staffordshire's ceramic industry.
Moorland Pottery in Burslem
The final firing at Acme Marls took place in October 1977
Why
Heavy pollution
Industrial Revolution (18th–19th c.)
Using
Bottle
The use of the Acme Marls Pottery Kilns ended because of new air pollution rules. Like many other kilns in Stoke-on-Trent, these kilns caused a lot of pollution by releasing smoke and harmful gases. In the 1970s, stricter laws were introduced to reduce air pollution, so old kilns like those at Acme Marls were replaced with cleaner, more efficient ones. The last firing at Acme Marls was in October 1977, which marked the end of its operations.
Kilns
Modern technology
Moorland Pottery in Burslem closed partly due to air pollution regulations. Like many other pottery factories in Stoke-on-Trent, the older kilns at Moorland Pottery were heavily polluting, emitting large amounts of smoke and harmful gases. The introduction of stricter environmental laws in the 1970s, aimed at reducing air pollution, made it difficult for these traditional kilns to continue operating. As a result, the pottery closed, and the site eventually became unused. The air pollution laws were a major factor in the decline of many pottery factories in the area.
Precedent Study – Guggenheim Museum For my proposed pottery studio, I studied the Guggenheim Museum in New York, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. I was inspired by its unique spiral shape and the continuous ramp that guides visitors through the space in a smooth, flowing way. The design breaks away from traditional layouts and creates a new, engaging experience for viewing art. This idea influenced my own design, where I wanted to create a similar journey—allowing visitors to move through the studio gradually, experiencing the ceramic and pottery work in a more connected and fluid way.
The Guggenheim Museum is located in New York City, USA. It was designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright and opened in 1959.
For my exhibition design, I took inspiration from the Guggenheim Museum’s spiral shape. I wanted to create a space where art, movement, and the building itself blend into one smooth experience. At the heart of my design is a tall open space, like the Guggenheim’s atrium. From the ceiling, I’ve hung eye-catching elements—maybe art, lights, or objects—that flow downward. This creates a bold centerpiece that visitors can see from every floor, pulling their eyes up and down to explore more. Around this center, a spiraling ramp gently guides visitors through the exhibition. The ramp is smooth and continuous, so people can walk up or down without stopping, feeling fully immersed in the experience. My aim is to make the building and the art work together. The architecture isn’t just a container— it’s part of the story. Visitors don’t just look at the art; they move through it, seeing new angles and moments as they follow the spiral. This sketch is my early idea for a lively, connected space that invites people to keep discovering.
PARKING & SUNDAY MARKET
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STALL AREA
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MODIFICATION &
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KILN THE UNGLAZED PRODUCT
STORAGE PREPARING CLAY KNEADING CLAY
SHAPING CLAY
LIBRARY
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WORKSHOP 1
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KIDS POTTERY TRAINING AREA
STORAGE KINTSUGI ROOM
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MIDDLE EASTERN POTTERY TRAINING AREA
Second Floor
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Building Height Scale (in meters) 5.4 ( m)
10.9 ( m)
10.9 ( m)
9 ( m)
6.5( m)
10.2 ( meters)
6.7 ( m)
7.7( m)
7.2( m)
Structural Strategy – Potter Studio
The structural system of the Potter Studio is based on a beam framework, offering both strength and spatial flexibility. This beam-based design supports the architectural layout efficiently while allowing for open interior spaces, ideal for the dynamic and creative functions of a pottery studio. Using a beam structure provides several advantages: Modular flexibility for adapting interior configurations. Efficient load distribution, especially in combination with sustainable wall materials. Integration with natural materials, including the sugarcane-based blocks and recycled textile panels used in the walls. 300
The clean and exposed nature of the beam system also complements the studio’s aesthetic, reinforcing its commitment to honest, sustainable construction.
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Axonometric View
ORIGINAL MASSING
PROPOSED MASSING
PROPOSED ZONING
Material The Potter Studio is designed to support creative flow with a bright, open workspace that carefully balances functionality and atmosphere. Large curtain wall doors and sound-insulating glass establish a strong visual connection to the outdoors while minimizing external noise—creating a calm, focused environment ideal for pottery-making. The flooring transitions between durable concrete in active work areas and warm wooden floorboards in more relaxed or display zones. This thoughtful material contrast not only enhances comfort and usability but also reflects the studio’s sustainable ethos—where every material is chosen for its performance, aesthetic, and environmental value. The result is a versatile, welcoming space that nurtures both the practical and artistic sides of ceramic craft
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