THE MUSIC CENTRE LEITH
Social Housing/ Community Center
Architectural Design: Tectonics
Unit 4: Civic Structures
JAMES-BULL S2021503
Situated on Cable Wynd in Leith, Cable Wynd House, colloquially referred to as the “banana flats” due to its distinctive form, constitutes a significant community housing endeavour constructed in 1965. Presently, the block sustains an occupancy rate of approximately 80%, with portion of apartments remaining vacant or fallen into disrepair, rendering them uninhabitable. The project site, situated at the rear of the property, supplants an underutilised car park. Despite numerous attempts by local architects to rejuvenate the banana flats, none have come to fruition.
Renowned for nurturing creative talent, Scotland and Leith boast heritage of fostering innovative minds. Given Edinburgh’s substantial tenement dwelling populace, musicians encounter challenges in securing suitable spaces to practice and perform, free from the constraints of shared accommodation. This initiative endeavours to address this need by establishing a dedicated haven for musicians, comprising practice rooms, performance venues, and short-term accommodation units tailored to the requirements of traveling artists.
04// 15// 40// 53// 62// SITE USE
79// PACK OF DRAWINGS
CONTENTS
102// BIBLIOGRAPHY
Unit Stance:
Our designed buildings aspire to more than mere structures; they seek to become integral elements of the fabric of Leith life. By fostering patterns of use that uplift the community, they contribute to the well-being and vitality of the area. Furthermore, these buildings serve as beacons of local pride, enhancing the aesthetic and functional aspects of the street scape. In doing so, they weave themselves into the very essence of Leith, enriching its past, present, and future.
Personal Understanding:
This building aims to bring together local musical talent from the surrounding area of leith. Due to the large number of tenement flats and apartments in Edinburgh often there is not a suitable location for people to grow and learn. The structure will house a number of acoustically isolated spaces alongside, a bar and storage space for educational equipment. Additionally the building will house approximately 2-3 apartments of housing dedicated to local or traveling musicians.
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Locating Leith
Located at the mouth of the Forth River Estuary on the eastern boarder of Scotland is the capital of Scotland Edinburgh. Leith is the north eastern region of Edinburgh and home to the Edinburgh’s port.
SITE:
Cable Wynd House, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6DQ 55°58’26”N 3°10’22”W
Boundary between Leith and Edinburgh
Leith was once an independent town and the port for Scotland, during the rapid growth of Edinburgh in the late 1800s much of Edinburgh’s expansion reached the point that it encompassed leith and the two became synonymous with one another. Now fast transport links and the newly opened tram means access from central Edinburgh can take less than 10 minutes.
Fastest walked/ driven and tram route to central Edinburgh.
Approximately 9 mins from nearest tram stop to George Street.
Following the decline in port activity, Leith has undergone a transformation into the creative heart of the city. It now hosts a diverse array of over 1500 individuals and organizations, encompassing film and TV production companies, advertising agencies, artists, artisans, craft breweries, and graphic designers. This concentration of creative enterprises has revitalized the area, establishing Leith as a vibrant and dynamic hub for artistic and cultural innovation within the city. Site location plan 1:2500
Unite De Habitation Study
Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation (1947-52) in Marseille, France, marked a pivotal shift in architectural philosophy towards utopian city living, epitomizing the concept of the ‘ville radieuse’ or vertical city. This monumental slab block, nestled within parkland, integrated various amenities, inspiring the emergence of Brutalist architecture. British adaptations, like the Golden Lane Estate (1953-63), Alton West Estate (1955-8), and Park Hill (1957-60), embraced this ethos, employing raw concrete aesthetics and innovative structural designs. Scotland, spurred by urgent slum-clearance in the 1950s -60s, witnessed similar projects in Glasgow, Dundee, and Aberdeen. Glasgow’s iconic schemes, including Hutchesontown C and Anniesland Court, exemplify the monumentalism of Scottish mass-housing. Edinburgh, benefiting from significant land access, undertook a number of high-rise developments, spurred by enthusiastic council housing initiatives. Cables Wynd House, stands as significant post-war multi-storey block, preserving its original integrity amidst the demolition of similar structures, underscoring its historical and architectural significance.
There is number of points in similarity between Cable Wynd House and the Unite De Habitation, in materiality, scale, organisation and structural layout. Both projects utilised a raised platform opening the ground floor for larger public plaza in an attempt to foster community through public space. At the heart of both projects is efficiency in utilisation of residential space, using innovative repeated internal layouts to ensure no wasted space and maximising the occupied built space.
Wynd Time Wheel
Cable Wynd House has famously difficult social history with many of its residents battling with drug addiction, poverty and most recently under investigation for a local shooting (Jan 2024).
During the day the upper floors of the car park goes through a number of different cycles, most commonly as walked through access point with the most common use on work commutes (4:30am, 8:30am, and 5:30pm) and school runs. However, outside of this time loud music, and other antisocial behaviour occurs making this area unappealing.
To combat this the local council has closed off the lower car park floors and as an example of antisocial architecture placed large metal railings in the what was open covered space bellow the flats stopping access to darker and more hidden areas under the flat complex that can attract undesirable behaviour and associated increased crime rate. Much of the building has now fallen into disrepair, unsafe and is under an entire need for an overhaul.
The proposed initiative encompasses a community music center supplemented with apartments specifically designed for musicians. The ground floor is designed to accommodate a bar, a practice room, and provides access to the main recital room. Notably, both the practice and recital rooms are constructed using a unique configuration of suspended laminated timber “eggs.” These eggshaped structures are acoustically isolated by being hung from series of springs, effectively minimizing vibrations transmitted to the building’s structure.
The apartments situated on the upper floors are equipped with individual isolated practice rooms, ensuring an optimal environment for musicians to rehearse without disturbance. Structurally, the public spaces are supported by concrete columns and a waffle slab system, while the upper floors feature a
Given the environmental concerns associated with the embodied carbon in concrete, the design prioritises future adaptability through a strictly regulated interior layout and a sustainable solution to structural materials. The interior spaces are conceived with adaptability in mind, featuring regular and repeated window pattern to facilitate future internal modifications. Additionally, the interior layouts adhere to a strict grid organizational structure, allowing for flexible use and efficient spatial planning.
Scotland and Leith have long been recognized as a home for creative minds. With nearly two-thirds of Edinburgh’s population residing in tenement flats. There emerges a pressing need for secure and inspiring spaces where musicians can practice and perform without inconveniencing their neighbors. This initiative aims to address this demand by establishing a dedicated facility tailored for musicians. The envisioned establishment will comprise a variety of practice rooms, performance venue, and accommodation units tailored to the needs of musicians.
Other creative industries in the area inclue artists, architects, product designers, fashion designers, and graphic designers many of which are situated along Commercial Street and Constitution Street a short 5 minute walk from the site. Furthermore, Leith hosts dozens of independent bars, restuarants and cafes.
This endeavor not only seeks to meet the practical needs of musicians but also endeavors to enrich the cultural landscape of Edinburgh and Leith by promoting and nurturing the arts. Through this initiative, Scotland’s reputation as a hub for creativity and innovation in the arts is further solidified, reinforcing its position as a fertile ground for nurturing and showcasing musical talents.
Early Public Plan Iterations
Programming
Future Planning
Site Relationship
Interaction
Public Space Materiality
Residential Space Materiality
Mimicking the concrete materiality seen on Cable Wynd House, this proposal utilities a similar concrete similar sandwich panel as seen on The House For Artists. This reduces overall concrete usage lowering the embodied carbon and provides an efficient and fast construction technique. Concrete also offers a strong, low maintenance alternative to a facade.
House For Artists
Apparata Architects
Apparata Architects employed a standardized prefabricated concrete sandwich panel system throughout the entirety of their design, instilling a rhythmic quality reminiscent of the local urban fabric. This deliberate repetition not only harmonises the structure with its surroundings but also establishes a visual dialogue with the neighboring architectural context. Furthermore, this choice engenders a compelling dichotomy between the lightweight and adaptable timber interior aesthetics and construction methods, and the enduring presence of the concrete facade and structural systems. This contrast underscores the duality of contemporary design principles and traditional building techniques, enriching the architectural narrative of the project while simultaneously enhancing its contextual relevance.
The interior structure following a traditional timber structural joinery technique, using glulam Scottish larch which can we seen into the roof terrace roofing structure. This is replicated into a timber cladded facade using a tongue and groove construction technique, this ensures and smooth exterior finish.
Kazuya Morita’s innovative approach employs a lattice structure crafted from traditional Japanese joinery techniques, imbuing the dense timber framework with a remarkable sense of weightlessness. This intricate lattice work not only showcases the artistry of local craftsmanship but also serves to engage the regional workforce, preserving and perpetuating traditional Japanese joinery practices. By seamlessly integrating local traditions into the design process, Morita not only fosters a sense of cultural continuity but also ensures the authenticity of the building’s purpose and function. This thoughtful fusion of modern design sensibilities with time-honored techniques not only elevates the architectural aesthetic but also enriches the project’s cultural significance within its context.
Framework grid in plan, each column 5m apart, mimicking the width of columns at Cable Wynd House.
Framework grid extruded, primary and secondary beams added. Framework grid with spacing removed to meet internal usage, and blocks removed to meet massing. Lower Floors Removed to meet concrete structure Framework grid combined with timber structure
GLULAM CONSTRUCTION
Scottish larch glulam structure is made through slicing timber into battens, joined using finger joints, laminated and pressed together creating stronger and longer timber beams. These glulam beams are to be sourced from glenalmonds, just north of Edinburgh.
Glulam is a popular building material for timber structures because of its ability to retain its strength under compressive forces over long spans. Furthermore, due to its sourcing proximity to Edinburgh, a Scottish larch glulam structural system hosts a low embodied carbon alongside a longer lifespan than regular timber.
Acoustic isolation techniques involving sprung hangers, combined with elastomeric rubber padding, are widely recognized for their efficiency in achieving noise isolation caused through structural vibrations. These mechanisms are typically deployed in environments where extreme noise reduction measures are imperative.
The implementation of spring hangers involves fixing units to the structural framework, with the acoustically isolated space suspended via a series of springs. This configuration effectively disperses vibrations, reducing vibrations passing through the structure. Spring hangers are available in various sizes to accommodate differing weights of the suspended area, allowing for tailored applications based on specific structural requirements, with examples of hangers holding the weight of full theaters.
It is important to note that the minimum number of hangers possible is more efficient in material usage and helps reducing bridging between the internal and external shells.
The new home to the BBC symphony orchestra conquered a number of challenges: including managing the sound pressure levels of 16 acoustically isolated spaces with the presence of an estate road running directly underneath the site, taking heavy V10 HGV diesel engines just meters away from the BBC symphony orchestra. Maintaining natural light in the larger studio spaces, helping improve well being and the ease of reading music, which in itself posed another acoustic challenge on top of the standing acoustic difficulties.
Sound creates sound pressure waves that flow through the air, upon impact with solid surface these transform into vibrations. The movement of sound between spaces can be minimised by voids, stiff construction materials. The experts and Flanagan Laurence and Burohappold used the box in box method to try isolate acoustically isolated spaces from building foundations with the only connection between internal and external spaces are through springs (these are compressive so do not transfer vibrations easily).
involves the implementation of spring acoustic hangers and rubber wall pads strategically placed within the structure to absorb vibrations before they reach the outer shell and structural components. Additionally, the walls are filled with acoustic insulation blankets to further bolster sound isolation capabilities.
In addressing the necessity for external windows, a double window system is adopted, which is a common practice in similar situations. Often, this system is complemented with double or triple-glazed windows to enhance sound insulation properties. However, it’s important to note that the absence of acoustic blankets in window holes may represent potential weak point in the acoustic isolation strategy, as it could lead to acoustic bleeding and compromise the overall effectiveness of the soundproofing measures.
Being the primary public space and expected to be under the most amount of public use, it important to ensure the acoustic in the main auditorium are correct, therefore not echoy and everyone can hear performances clearly.
Similarly to the practice spaces, the auditorium uses the ‘box in box’ method. Exterior surfaces to be made out of laminate timber and a rigid acoustic insulation casing, centred with a 100mm cavity and rubber isolation pads. To stop vibrations reaching the structure large industrial hangers carry the weight of the suspended egg.
Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS), a cement addition and by-product of the iron industry, is made when blast furnace slag is finely ground into powder. It possesses hydraulic properties, which means it can partially replace Portland cement in concrete mixtures. In fact, in the UK, GGBS can replace 70% or more of Portland cement. This substitution not only reduces the carbon footprint associated with cement production but also contributes to the overall performance and longevity of the concrete, making an environmentally responsible and economically viable alternative in construction applications.
Incorporating Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) into concrete mixtures offers several significant benefits:
- Environmental Sustainability: By reducing the consumption of cement, GGBS contributes to decreased carbon dioxide emissions, aligning with sustainable construction practices.
- Enhanced Properties: GGBS improves the long-term strength, durability, and workability of concrete when utilized as a partial replacement for Portland cement.
- Chemical Resistance: Properly proportioned GGBS provides resistance to sulfate attack and chloride ingress, thereby mitigating the potential corrosion of steel reinforcement within concrete structures.
- Reduced Heat Generation: GGBS exhibits slower hydration properties compared to cement, resulting in reduced heat generation during the concrete setting process and minimizing the risk of thermal cracking.
- Alkali-Silica Reaction Mitigation: GGBS helps mitigate the alkali-silica reaction, a chemical process that can lead to concrete cracking and degradation.
- Aesthetic Benefits: The use of GGBS delivers an off-white finish, enhancing visibility in darker areas and reducing lighting requirements, while also contributing to the project’s overall aesthetic appeal.
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- Cost-Effectiveness: As a by-product of the iron industry, GGBS often proves to be a more cost-effective option for concrete production compared to traditional cement. Exterior face of concrete pour
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