TIDEMILL DISCOVERY CENTRE JAMES BULLMORE UNIT 21 SHAUN MURRAY & SIMON WITHERS
Site Location
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Location of the London Borough of Lewisham within the UK
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Location of the site within Deptford, London, south of the River Thames.
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The proposed site, between Deptford High Street to the west and Deptford Creek to the east.
Site History: 1870s - 1970s
1870s The site comprises completely residential terraces.
1890s In 1886, Tidemill School replaces some of the residential blocks at the north of the site.
1950s Hales Street and Stanhope Street are removed in favour of school grounds and central open space.
1970s Residential blocks on Reginald Road demolished, and current maisonette block built.
Urban Context
(including tri-weekly market)
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Urban Context
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Connecting Deptford
Deptford Station: Deptford Bridge: Deptford Market Yard: Deptford Lounge: The Albany: Wavelengths Leisure Centre: Creekside Discovery Centre: Tidemill Academy:
The main London Overground and Southeastern connection used by residents and visitors. The closest DLR link for residents and visitors. A collection of independant shops, restaurants and market space. Community hub offering a range of services and facilities including a library and cafe. Multi-purpose arts centre hosting a varied programme of events. Popular local resource for children. Home of Creekside Education Trust, the project’s main client. Former habitants of the site, and will work closely with the new development.
Extended Garden as an Improved Thoroughfare
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John Evelyn, FRS (1620 - 1706)
John Evelyn, born in Wotton, Surrey, was an English writer, gardener and diarist, as well as one of the founding fellows of the Royal Society. In 1652, Evelyn settled in Deptford, after spending a decade in France and Italy, and soon began to transform the gardens of Sayes Court, the house he shared with his wife. In 1661 Evelyn wrote the first book on London’s growing air polution problem, Fumifugium (or The Inconvenience of the Aer and Smoak of London Dissipated). Known for his knowledge of trees, Evelyn followed Fumifugium in 1664 with Sylva (or A Discourse of Forest-Trees and the Propogation of Timber), a book to encourage landowners to plant trees to provide for England’s expanding navy.
Evelyn200 Inspired by the legacy of John Evelyn, and to celebrate the two hundredth anniversary of the publication of his diaries, Deptford Folk have started a project to plant 200 trees in Deptford’s Evelyn Ward. Working closely with Lewisham Borough Coucil, Deptford Folk, a park user group for Deptford Park and Folkestone Gardens, are encouraging the local populace to identify sites to plant new trees in Evelyn.
After Evelyn moved back to Wotton in 1694, Sayes Court was rented out. Although the house and its gardens no longer exist, a park of the same name can be found off Evelyn Street. While a plethora of Evelyn’s works were published during his lifetime, it was not until 1818 that the most famous, his diary, was shared.
John Evelyn, by Robert Walker, 1648
Plan of Sayes Court Garden
The Grove, Sayes Court, reconstruction by Mark Laird
1:5000 Evelyn200 Campaign Logo
Oval Garden and Parterre, Sayes Court, reconstruction by Mark Laird
Margaret McMillan, CH, CBE (1860-1931)
Margaret McMillan was born in Westchester County, New York. When she was four, a scarlet fever epidemic killed her father James, and sister Elizabeth, and left her deaf (she regained hearing at fourteen). Her mother Jean decided to move back to Inverness with Margaret, and her remaining sister Rachel.
In 1910, Margaret, along with her sister Rachel, set up a clinic in Deptford to treat children’s illnesses, before starting Camp Schools in 1911, where children learnt, ate and slept outside, improving their health. In 1914, they started the ‘Open Air Nursery School’, which Margaret later renamed ‘Rachel McMillan Nursery School’ following the death of her sister in 1917.
At the start of the 20th century, McMillan was at the forefront of a new vision of nursery education in the UK. Working in deprived areas such as Bradford and Deptford she focused on the health of young children and pioneered a play-centred approach to education. She spread the understanding that young children, particularly those living in more densely packed urban areas, needed outside space to escape their cramped, depressing environments, and that this connection to nature assisted their learning.
McMillan published many books on the education of children, including Early Childhood (1900), The Child and the State (1911), and most importantly Education Through the Imagination (1904). Her legacy is still evident within Deptford, notably with ‘Margaret McMillan Park’, opened in 1954, to the west of the high street.
Margaret McMillan
Margaret and sister, Rachel’s house in Lewisham
Plaque on the house in Lewisham
1:2500 Children at Rachel McMillan Nursery in its early years
Children at Rachel McMillan Nursery, 2014
The Partner - Creekside Discovery Centre
Founded in 1999, the Creekside Education Trust is an environmental education charity, working to promote the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment. It currently operates around the Deptford Creek and River Thames area, from the Creekside Discovery Centre. advancing the local public’s knowledge of environmental matters and promoting the use of the creek and surrounding area as a place of recreation for all members of the local community. The charity also has a wider remit to study and protect the area’s remarkable bio-diversity and provides local expert ecological advice to developers and councils. The centre delivers educational sessions (science, geography, history) for thousands of local children. Through facilitated recreational activities, families, community groups, and adults can advance their education in environment matters, working towards an improved public understanding through enjoyable and accessible means. They currently offer activities such as low-tide walks through Deptford Creek and daily educational visits for Primary and Secondary schools, and wish to expand their reach, and offer facilities for education about wildlife beyond the creek. The new garden and accompanying buildings, Tidemill Discovery Centre, will work alongside the Crrekside Discovery Centre, providing similar opportunities to experience and connect with nature, and act as a more central hub for the Creekside Education Trust.
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Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden
Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden is a collaboratively run community space in the heart of Deptford. It was originally opened in 1997 in the grounds of Tidemill School, and was only available to the school itself. Since 2012, following the relocation of the school, the garden has been open to the wider public. The garden is a well-loved asset to the community, and is seen fondly by many locals as it provides a place for people of all backgrounds to come together and enjoy a rare natural environment within the city. As well as regular events such as performances, bonfire nights and art workshops, the garden is open every Saturday (12:00 - 16:00), and runs the ‘Wildlife Gym’, every Tuesday (10:00 - 14:00). The images show how local residents join forces to build and learn within the garden, amongst a vast array of plant and animal species. The London Borough of Lewisham however are looking at plans to develop the site, and replace the wildlife garden with residential blocks, much to the disgrace of the garden’s frequent users, running campaigns opposing the development.
“It’s been really incredible to see the way young people, children through various ages interact with the space, and how they can play off its wildness.” “It’s a space that has a lot of risk attached, but the way that people start to use that and understand it can be really important for how they engage with nature.”
“I find it criminal that children live in blocks of flats without access to wildlife and nature. A landscaped piece of grass with a metal climbing frame stuck in the middle of it is not good enough.”
“It’s about developers ripping us all off, and using the deprivation of an area as a selling point.” “If you’re going to come here because you really genuinely love the authenticity, the originality of Deptford, then spend your money wisely. There are so many community projects, places like this. You could be here today buying food that then allows us to feed homeless people, and still listen to wicked bands and meet real local people and have a really good time. Just be wise with your money.”
Source: Stills and quotes from a campaign video found at: http://oldtidemillgarden.wixsite.com/ deptford
Current Site Occupancy
The site has buildings on each side of varying occupancy. The majority are residential blocks, along with the Bear Church and the former Tidemill School buildings, which will become residential as part of the masterplan. Along the high street to the west of the site, buildings serve as retail on the ground floor, with flats above. In an effort to become a part of the garden in which it is situated, the proposed building will sit relatively low into the ground, and as such should not cause any issues regarding privacy of the existing residences. The occupants of the surrounding residential buildings will also benefit from views out over the garden.
FRANKHAM STREET
The generation of the extended garden will mean the removal of the car park, however it is currently underused, other parking is available, for example the Frankham Street parking boulevard, and the use of public transport is encouraged.
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FRANKHAM STREET
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Site Boundary Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden Car Park
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Residential Retail/Residential The Bear Church Former Tidemill School (Unoccupied)
REGINALD ROAD
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REGINALD ROAD REGINALD ROAD REGINALD ROAD
REGINALD
Existing Tree Survey
Although there are no tree preservation orders for the existing trees on the site, they are well appreciated by the local community, and users of the garden, so it is important that the development either retains, resituates, or improves upon the current provision. Of particular interest to the people who frequent the garden are the two large Indian Bean Trees1. Trees such as this will be key components of the new garden as it may also serve an agricultural purpose for the local market. 23 22
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01. Silver Birch 02. Poplar 03. Prunus 04. Rhododendrun 05. Sorbus 06. Wild Cherry 07. Norway Maple 08. Maple Hedge 09. Buckthorn 10. Common Hazel 11. Comman Alder 12. Apple 13. Lombardy Poplar 14. Robinia 15. Grey Poplar 16. Indian Bean Tree 17. Common Hornbeam 18. Leyland Cypress 19. Common Ash 20. Cherry Laurel 21. Black Alder 22. Smooth Japanese Maple 23. London Plane 24. Sycamore 25. Whitebeam Site Boundary Old Tidemill Wildlife Garden Root Protection Area Crown Spread Sources: 1 https://deptfordaction.org.uk/protect-our-green-spaces-save-old-tidemillschool-wildlife-garden/
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Tree Survey: http://planning.lewisham.gov.uk/online-ap plicationsfiles/857D389E030ADD 66FB663E0B2464369A/pdf/DC_16_095039 -TREE_ SURVEY-429933.pdf
Urban Design Scheme 1:500
Wavelengths Leisure Centre
Deptford Lounge
Giffin Street
Frankham Street
Deptford High Street
Deptford Church Street
Evelyn Forest
The new Sayes Allotment will improve locally sourced food options at the tri-weekly market. Based on the Grove at Sayes Court it will maintain the garden’s connection to John Evelyn, and his legacy within Deptford.
Discovery Playground
Deptford Ponds
Reginald Road
Preliminary Main Building Plan 1:200
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Sheltered Seating and Lobby
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Reception and Information
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WCs
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Kitchen
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Dining
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Sunken Winter Garden
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Multi-Level Children’s Play
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Semi - Permanent learning facilities
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Preliminary Main Building Axonometric Section 1:200
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Sheltered Seating and Lobby
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Reception and Information
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WCs
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Kitchen
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Dining
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Sunken Winter Garden
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Multi-Level Children’s Play
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Green Roof
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Preliminary Cut Away AXO 1:50
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01 Sheltered 01 Sheltered Seating Seating 02 WCs 02 WCs 03 Kitchen 03 Kitchen 04 Dining 04 Dining 05 Sunken 05 Sunken Winter Garden Winter Garden 06 Multi-Level Children’s PlayPlay 06 Multi-Level Children’s 07 Green Roof 07 Green Roof
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Ground Beams
Pile Foundations
Plant
McMillan Terrace - the main staircase for the building transforms into a vertical playground for inquisitive children
The Forgotten Caves - unearthing natural treasures from around the worldmm
Main Structural Frame
Core
Canopy Columns
Enclosed central services (Office, WCs)
Little Canyon Kitchen - a small kitchen run by single parents and unemployed people, providing food for general customers, and cookery classes for children
Canopy Structure
The Watchpoint - a raised level of sand play providing views over the garden
Glazed openings mimic gaps between leaves
The Canopy
Light Funnel Steel Structure
Kitchen Flue
Fibre Optic Light Tunnels
Light Funnel
Tidemill Discovery Centre Building Components
Tidemill Studio - a community studio, gallery and performance space, open for public bookings and events, continuing from the former Tidemill School annexe building
Worm Walk - as if walking through a worm’s tunnel, take a trip through a world of insects and creepy crawlies
Worm Mound
The positioning of Evelyn Forest does not block natural light from hitting the centre, and provides privacy tothe adjacent buildings which will likely become residential.
The studio space benefits from north light, ideal for reducing glare and overheating.
Set on a north westerly tilt, the open length of the main building receives natural light through its many perferations; the canopy, the funnel and the open decks. Variations in light create an ever changing atmosphere as the sun dances around the building throughout the day.
The Deptford Ponds encourage wildlife, as well as providing a natural barrier, separating the garden from the adjacent road.
The relief of the dipped route through the garden is scaled down to create play-scapes within the building, as well as dining furniture in the Little Canyon Kitchen. Elements of the building such as the funnel structure and terrace steps are also transformed into play environmetns within the garden., questioning the definition of internal and external spaces and uniting the site.
Level 00 Scheme 1:200
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The Canyon
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The Forgotten Caves
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McMillan Terrace
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Core
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Plant
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Level 01 Scheme 1:200
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The Canyon
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The Forgotten Caves
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McMillan Terrace
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Core
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Plant
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Tidemill Studio
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Worm Walk
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Level 02 Scheme 1:200
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The Canyon
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The Forgotten Caves
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McMillan Terrace
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Core
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Plan
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Tidemill Studio
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Level 03 Scheme 1:200
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Welcome
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Staff Office
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WCs
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Core
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Little Canyon Kitchen
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The Canyon
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Canyon Bridge
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McMillan Terrace
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Tidemill Studio
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Worm Mound
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Roof Level Scheme 1:200
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The Canopy
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Canyon Bridge
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The Watchpoint
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Tidemill Studio
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Worm Mound
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Section A 1:200
Section B 1:200
Section C 1:100
Section D 1:100
Level 00 Plan 1:100
Level 01 Plan 1:100
Level 02 Plan 1:100
Level 03 Plan 1:100
Roof Level Plan 1:100
Beyond Circulation - Enabling Play
Exploring Natural Light
Separating Environments 1:100
With high levels of sunlight, and accompanying heat penetrating the ETFE topped funnel, the McMillan terrace must be monitored and ventilated to reduce humidity and control odour as children play on the terrace. This can be controlled to an extent through the ETFE itself, by varying the layers of foil (on a long term basis) or changing the inflation blevels of the pillows.
Caves sunken within the main structure of the building allow for carefully moderated individual environments. Each cave is individually insulated, and temperature, moisture and light levels are controlled to create the perfect conditions for the growth of plants from around the world.
Caves are hung from the primary and secondary columns and beams to easy support their organic stone forms.
Arrival from the East
Main Building - West Entrance Information - Dining - Garden Views
Traversing the Canyon
Tidemill Studio Create - Exhibit - Perform