Tasked with designing a transport hub in the site of the abandoned Kangol Factory in the village of Cleator Moor, the Cleator Mill Hub aimed to create an educational and transport hub for the West Cumbrian coast.
Initially set to work on the site of an existing park & ride structure, turned my look at the last remaining building of the factory complex, a historic mill from the 1800s, and proposed a site change, avoiding the demolition of a working structure while creating a new community hub and avoiding the demolition and loss of architectural heritage of the Cleator Mill.
PARAMETRIC STRUCTURAL GRID: ROOF & COLUMNS
The aim of intervention was to create a multidisciplinary education hub for the community. Following extensive research it was determined that this area has some of the most underfunded and poorly connected institutions in the country, and providing a space that could centralise facilities for the institutions, while creating a DRT transport network to connect them would immensely benefit the area’s students.
Creating this space within the walls of the creator mill building was no easy task. In order to create a structural strategy for the renovation and extension of the creator a CLT structural grid was developed which created a constant rhythm between both buildings while creating a visual distinction between old and new.
The creation of a sleek roof that sat one meter above the historic structure, visually separated by glass established a distinction without separation into two different entities. The materiality choice of perforated CLT managed to create larger internal spaces, fostering common learning in the interior, while seeming lightweight from the exterior, as if floating.
Early sketches of the CLT grid pattern resulting in the combination of the columns with their respective branching beams and the perpendicular beam grids.
Early sketches of the structural grid within the restored building, exploring the relationship between columns and roof.
Render of the hub’s interior, combining bus station below and library on the first floor.
Exploded Isonometric Diagram of Intervention
The original structure was modelled in Rhino following studies of historic floorplans as well as measurements and derivations taken from the site visits.
CURRENT CONDITION
Lidar surveying was carried out on site in order to obtain an accurate set of measurements and data of the building. This allowed me to draw a façade retention scheme due to the ruinous state of the structure.
PROPOSED INTERVENTION
Conserving the historical appearance of the building, a façade retention scheme would be combined with an extension and rehabilitation of the building up to Passivhaus standards, creating a modern educational hub within a heritage site.
These layers will be attached to the original sandstone wall and Glulam columns through steel brackets with minimal contact points to prevent damage to the walls.
MAIN STRUCTURE ANALYSIS
THE CORNICE: END OF GRID & MEETING POINT THE WINDOWS: THERMAL BARRIERS THE COLUMNS: STRUCTURAL GRID & SUPPORT
- Skylight Hinge
- Triple Glazed Glass Panel
- Skylight Support Beams
- Skylight CLT Base
- Skylight Lid
- 3mm PVC Waterproof Membrane on Aluminum Cladding Sheet
DESIGN DRIVERS: - Sustainability - Passive Strategies - Community - Cultural - Parametric
1:500 Site Plan
Tasked with designing an art gallery within the grounds of Peel Park in Salford, the Sustainable Streams Gallery uses the privileged riverfront location to raise awareness in the community about the importance of maintaining clean and healthy riverways.
The site was located on a thin hilly strip of land, measuring 6 x 200 meters across a drop of 4 meters, creating a challenging site. Nestled between the river and the park, this privileged location challenged me to develop a gallery that would fit its environment without creating a visual or environmental disruption of the park.
INTERVENTION WITHOUT DISRUPTION
In an attempt to create a structure that would fit the narrow width of the site without disrupting the tranquil rhythm of the park, looked to the water of the river Irwell, running parallel to the site, for inspiration.
Based on the depiction of water ripples sketched during one of the site visits, I started developing possible design iterations for the gallery space. Working with such delicate organic lines meant that the gallery space would have an organic rhythm that would match that of the park and river within the site, minimizing the impact of the project.
Developing a space that would host an art gallery through following these parameters was challenging, and long, open and uninterrupted gallery spaces that would maximize the use of the limited site were considered optimal.
Desing Iterations
Gallery’s Section
Gallery’s Eastern Elevation
Cross Section
INCORPORATING NATURE INTO A SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Following the same design inspiration drawn from the ripples on the surface of the river Irwell, was inspired to bring the feeling of tranquility that the riverside emanated to the interior of the building. Once again parting from their organic shape, decided to start designing a cladding system to cover the façade of the building that would filter light to the interior of the gallery following organic curves reminiscent of the waves.
In an attempt to make the gallery adapt to its context while proposing a sustainable cladding paneling, I developed a proposal that would be weaved out of a recycled waterproof textile material that would allow to achieve the desired lighting effect while fitting within the colorway of its context, therefore avoiding a visual disruption.
After obtaining some sample recycled material, I decided to weave a 1:5 scale model of the panels in order to better understand their performance. Although the effect they had was similar to my vision, radiance testing using Ladybug solar testing software showed that these static cladding panels on top of such large glazing surfaces would create an uncomfortable experience for visitors, as the space would heat up and become visually uncomfortable after constant sun exposure.
After further consideration, I used Grasshopper and Kangaroo software to create a parametric mechanical louver system that would react to the sun’s position to rotate the opening of the cladding units, allowing the space to be visually and temperaturemonitored, while still allowing to create the desired visual effect of the ripple reflection due to their triangular arrangement.
These cladding panels would be connected to the electric grid through the building’s truss system, the main structural component, composed of a series of reinforced steel trusses and sub trusses with double -glazed glass panels, resting above a concrete base spanning through the lower level of the site.
Parametric Mechanical Louvers
Reinforced Steel Truss System
Double Glazed Glass Panneling
Reinforced Steel Sub-Trusses
Sketches of Ripples on River Irwell, Salford.
Structural Analysis
Daylight Testing using Ladybug
3D Printed Model of Mechanical Louvers at 1:20 Scale
GALLERY’S GENERAL ARRANGMENTS: OPEN SPACES AND CIRCULATION WITH A FLOW
Hosting a series of interactive and educational content in its interior, large open spaces were optimal, in order to allow for a smooth visiting experience without movement restrictions. The space takes advantage of its extensive length and provided a solution to the vertical movement between both levels of the gallery through two wrap around accessible ramps.
The building’s floors have very distinctive characters, with the top floor compromising the main exhibition space and a large glazed surface, allowing for a bright space with the previously mentioned ripple effects. The bottom floor is transversed by a deviated portion of the river Irwell which is filtered in a natural water filtration station on the right hand side, allowing the river to flow back to its main stream after being cleaned. This creates an interesting feature in the interior, allowing for learning spaces, while providing an opportunity for the building to obtain a better environmental performance by contributing to the internal heating through a water heat pump connected to the stream.
Tasked with designing a mixed-use building housing a gastronomic workshop and living quarters for the team running it, the vineyard residences combine a wine-tasting centre with some short to long stay residences ranging from one to three-bedroom units.
Nestled in the heart of Stockport, a rapidly developing city in the Greater Manchester Area with a booming culinary scene, a wine tasting center providing workshops and tastings brings in a new gastronomical experience to the city. The Vineyard Residences looked to integrate into the city by providing upscale units and state of the art facilities while maintaining the industrial charm of Stockport’s fabric.
BUILDING ARRANGEMENT AND INTERIOR SPACES
Building Development Sequence
The site allocated for this project was located in the heart of Stockport’s old town. While being a prime location for a future hotspot, space was limited, with the plot being nestled between existing buildings. The design of the Vineyard Residences looked to maximize land use and natural light through a series of extruding units and terraces with the site’s shape as the parting base.
The Vineyard Residences combine all necessary facilities to host the winetasting workshops and house the staff involved in the process within its walls. Starting from the basement, there is a cellar and wine-making station for home-made wine production. The main wine tasting spaces where the workshops are held can be found on the ground and first floors, directly off the access from Lower Hillgate Street, accompanied by an additional space on the Rooftop on the 5th floor.
The floors spanning between these spaces host the staff residences, units which have their own separate entrance from Upper Hillgate Road on the 3rd floor and which range from one to three bedrooms.
Isometric Diagram of Building Distribution
Sample Studio Apartment Unit
Wine Tasting Area
Resident’s Coworking and Lounge Space
04 | COUNTRYHOUSE RETROFIT
Location: Astorga Province, Castilla La Mancha, Spain
Year: 2021
SKILLS UTILIZED:
- Sketchup
- Autocad
- Vray
- Site Visits
- Management
- Construction Process
DESIGN DRIVERS:
- Adaptive Reuse
- Conservation
- Residential
- Interior Design
- Locality
- Energy Efficiency
Ground Floor: Ensuite Bedrooms
First Floor: Kitchen-DiningLiving Area
During 2021, I collaborated with studio Andrea Muñoz Diseño in the integral reform of a XIX Century small country house in the region of León in Spain. The retrofit was based on a façade retention scheme, emptying out the internal structure of the home while maintaining the external skeleton for its historic appearance. This project included the removal of a concrete coating from the façade to show the original stone and mortar walls, the moving of the main entrance door from one side to the centre of the façade -it’s original location-, the complete renewal of plumbing, heating and electrical systems, and enlarging the original windows to make a better use of natural light.
The interior spaces were designed to combine the original features of the home that were maintained through the retrofit, such as the roof beams and trusses or the original stone of the walls which was recovered after removing the concrete coating. The additions to the interior were kept quite minimal to not hinder the appearance of the original features, combining warm neutral colors with local materials such as Corten steel, which can be found throughout the house, from the window and door frames to the chimney cladding or gutters.
PROJECT TIMELINE
The project was driven by a wish to preserve the original XIX features of the home while modernizing it to meet the client’s needs. Plans were drawn and revised multiple times to ensure the success of the project. The intervention was drawn, modelled, rendered and approved throughout this process.
The construction process turned out to be challenging due to the remote location of the house, the complexity of conserving the original elements of the house and the need for updating of services. These visits were extremely helpful when understanding such a crucial stage in architecture.
The final product delivered a house that perfectly encapsulated its historic identity while creating an upscale and comfortable living environment.
Vision, Planning & Modelling Construction & Site Visits Final Product
