Bristol STORYTELLING CENTRE AD 3.2 Sarah Wardrope 77082097
1. Bristol photos 2. Masterplan 3. Brief 4. History of storytelling 5. Story collection event 6. Story collection film 7. Site 8. Concept 9. Site Plan 1:2500 10. Elevation 11. Site Plan 1:500 12. Space diagram 13. Plans 14. Section AA 15. Visuals 16. Private Use diagram
Bristol MASTERPLAN The concept of the design was to return Spike Island back to its original intention of being a wealth generator for Bristol. Our approach deals with two levels of authority - the natural authority and the man-made authority. NATURAL AUTHORITY deals with the New Cut, damming it, and returning the original river back to a tidal river. The area of land obtained from the new cut can then be generated into a resource for the city for either farmland and crop growing or energy harvesting through hydroponics - dictacted by demand from the city. MAN-MADE AUTHORITY is the authroity which dictates the use of the land itself. Historically Spike Island acted as the wealth generator to Bristol through its docks and shipyards. We propose that this purpose should be reinstated in a way to help and encourage the growth of Bristol as a super city with its engineering and technical innovation. This would be done through establishing a branch of military research on the island. Through government funding and support this would enable the latest technical innovation which over time would begin to radiate out into the city through healthcare, education and the general lives of the city dwellers.
Natural Authority
Original river line brought backto its natural state by becoming tidal again. The New Cut is dammed off and the now free land is to be used as a resource for the city. 1. Original river line 2. New dam 3. Gained land from the New Cut
Uses
Each area of land has been readdressed to fulfill the purpose that is inherent amongst it. 1. Tidal river 2. Wealth generator 3. Service to the city 4. Existing buildings
Infrastructure
Several devices are to be proposed within the systems to utilise their potential. 1. Tidal power 2. Dam 3. Boat parking framework 4. Waterlines to feed resource land
Boundary
The boundary lines that are present within the island are to be enforced maintaining the separation that exists with the land. It is not a new centre of the city but instead a service arm to it. 1. River boundary 2. New Cut boundary
Access
Access works around either side. Strong lines of access and egress on simple tracks rather than several convoluted runs. 1. Pedestrian access to the city 2. Traffic access
Transportation
Historically trade would come to Bristol and be distributed from there on, however, this proves difficult to maintain with constant changes in technology. Instead Bristol will become the starting point of the trade and research, and distributed out into the city and further afield from there.
Orientation
The research undergone on the island will filter out into the city through the sectors of health and education. The most private part of the compound, the research base, will be furthest away from the city, and the more public structures, such as the education buildings, will be placed between these two poles.
Bristol MASTERPLAN The land and river as present has stumbled into a redundancy. The intended result of the proposed approach is that these two systems of authority can co-exist and be operational as they inherently want to function, with longer term goals of eventual benefits into the everyday wealth of each city individual. With the first level of the natural authority, the New Cut is to be dammed making the original river line tidal again in place of the floating harbour. The land of the New Cut will be used as a resource for either growing crops or harvesting energy through hydroponics, whatever is in highest demand by the city. The New Cut will therefore take back its original intention of servicing the city. The second level of authority is the man-made authority dictating the purpose of the land. Bristol has been listed as becoming one of the next super cities of Britain because of its affluence in engineering and technical innovation. So with this source of knowledge already having its presence in the city, this field of work can be utilized and preserved by ensuring funding and relevance by and to the city. This is to be done by establishing a branch of Military Research on the island, where government funding will be injected into the scheme to ensure the latest technological innovation.
“Storytelling is a natural human instinct and one of the oldest art forms. Storytelling uses the power of the spoken word to take listeners on a journey of the imagination” THE SOCIETY FOR STORYTELLING
Storytelling is a major form of human communication, whether to teach, inspire, pass on knowledge or ideals, or even to convey how we should behave. Most commonly, stories are used in our everyday conversation with one another, when sharing real life experiences, values and attitudes. The subtle skills needed for storytelling are fundamental in living life. Stories can powerfully communicate what it is like to be in the world and can provide opportunities to change our view of reality – they can transform our thinking about ourselves in the world. There are times when you need to express your own ideas more effectively, to be more open and imaginative, to relate easily, to be more self confident and to adapt to the unexpected.
MY PROPOSAL IS TO CREATE A STORYTELLING CENTRE THAT WILL ALLOW THE PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF BRISTOLS RESIDENTS TO EMERGE INTO THE COMMUNITY BY USING STORYTELLING AS A THERAPEUTIC OUTPUT. CREATING A GREATER SENSE OF CONNECTEDNESS WITH THEMSELVES, EACH OTHER AND BRISTOLS COMMUNITIES.
Intimate story-telling spaces Auditorium Story Cafe
SCARS
Papermaking Transcribing and Printing Bookbinding
TRANSITIONS
Library Story Cafe
NEW BEGINNINGS
Bristol HISTORY OF STORYTELLING In researching the history of storytelling and looking at how it is progressing into the digital age reaffirmed my idea to bring the collected stories of Bristols residents into a physical object. This is in order to retain the personal nostalgia of the peoples lives and memories.
The Floating Woman Amanda Price I sat staring out of the window looking idly at the Suspension Bridge. It looked so serene perched on the edge of the cliff. As I sat there staring I thought of all the hours I’d spent when I was younger staring out of windows and an intriguing story popped into my head, as they often do. It’s a story of a woman who lived about a hundred and thirty years ago or thereabouts. She had decided to commit suicide by jumping off Bristol suspension bridge. She failed in her attempt because the crinoline dress she was wearing acted like parachute and filled with air and she floated down to earth rather than plummeting to her death. Very little is written about her other than her name was Sarah Ann Henley. She was 22 years old and had been jilted by her lover. She’s not here to tell her story so I thought I would instead. “The bare-faced lies! I can’t believe he said that!” “Well I’m here now so where is the best place to jump?” Sarah muttered angrily under her breath. She paced up and down the bridge trying to find the right place to jump from. She realised she would have to stand on the handrails. “Gosh they are quite high. How I am going to lift myself up there?” Sarah thought. She then peered over the handrails and looked down at the river below. “It’s such a long way down. Can I really do this?” she thought. Sarah looked around her; there were a few people casually strolling around it seemed quite quiet though. “If I wait any longer I won’t do it. I must do it. Then he’ll be sorry.” Sarah muttered to herself. Without any further hesitation Sarah hitched up her skirt and hoisted herself onto the ¬handrail, stood up and launched herself off the bridge. WHOOOSH! She had this strange feeling that she was being lifted and that she was rising up rather than going down. Sarah then realised that she was floating. She could see Dundry in the far distance. When she looked down she saw the glint of the sunlight reflecting off the water and mud. How beautiful it all seemed. She drifted towards the bank. She heard shouting from above. She looked up to see people looking down at her from the bridge. It seemed a very long way up. Suddenly the mud seemed to come up at her very fast. “Ooh no…” Spat! Sarah landed in the mud. She lay motionless for quite some time. She then lifted her head and looked around in a stunned silence. That ends my tale of Sarah Ann Henley. She did go on to live to be 85 and died in 1948. But that’s another story.
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Artists First Sarah and Kathy This is a story about us; a group of artists called Artists First. It is not a ‘once upon a time’ story but a story that is happening now, a story that hasn’t an ending. It is a story about us thinking about a home for our art. There is an empty shop and flat in Henbury. It is called Home ground and it would make a good studio and gallery for us if we could move in and make it our art home. What is an art home? It is a bit like an ordinary home: my home and your home. It is where you feel safe. An art home is a place you need to work at to keep it going. You work hard to make it a home. You put your whole self into it. It makes you happy; it is a place to welcome other people into. You invite them in to share your art, to be part of what you do. Home is for a family, whether you are related or not, whether you are one or two or more. Artists First is a big family of artists and it is looking for its own Home ground, its own home sweet home for artists. A place to put down a welcome mat. The bricks of a family home are love, care, support and respect. It is the same in an art home; the bricks make you strong but they do not keep people out, they welcome people in so they can have strength through their art, too. Home identifies who you are; it is your security. We all have home wishes and home desires for our art and we work to make them happen. A place to make our art, a place in our community, to link-up, to make connections, introductions, involvements, neighbourliness, friends, working together, sharing who we are and what we can do. Supporting other people to share our home and to think about their homeground, too. This story is just a beginning, it is happening now and we have learnt that stories can link people together. This is a story about us; a group of artists called Artists First. It is not a ‘once upon a time’ story but a story that is happening now, a story that hasn’t an ending. It is a story about us thinking about a home for our art. There is an empty shop and flat in Henbury. It is called Home ground and it would make a good studio and gallery for us if we could move in and make it our art home.
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THERAPEUTIC ST ORYTELLING Select a catego ry SCARS. TRANSITI ONS. NEW BEGINN INGS. Choose a story within your se lected category . Read aloud the story – record ing it with th e Dictaphone. Place the read story into the story library. Write your own (real) story re flecting on yo ur selected catego ry. Clip it in the place of the pr eviously read story. Thank you Please be as ho nest and open as possible.
Bristol STORY COLLECTION EVENT Who am I? Charlene Price Who am I? My name is Charlene Una Price. I’m 16 years old and I come from Bristol. I’m dual-heritage: my mum is black South African and my dad from England. Before 2006 I didn’t really know who I was and what my identity was. All I knew was that my main background was South African. I wasn’t really told about my family background because my mum left home when she was young, due to problems that were occurring. In May 2006 I decided to know more about my identity. It was time to take a trip to South Africa and meet my family, to find out their background and also mine. While I was there I felt a sense of home and belonging. It felt like this was where I was supposed to be. Since leaving South Africa, I have become part of a youth group which has run workshops on African background and your own personal identity. As a result of my identity-finding, I have decided to change my last name to my original family name. That’s my story.
Bristol STORY COLLECTION FILM A nostalgic look into what could become someones earliest memory. Most peoples earliest memories are from the age of 3, and as my daughter will soon be turning 3 I loved the idea that some of the fun times and adventures we have now could turn out to be her earliest memories. This is what inspired the idea for my final piece.
Bristol SITE The site is on the eastern side of Spike Island, located on the pedestrian access route proposed in the masterplan. The site sits directly on the link between the residential area in the south and the city centre in the north.
Bristol PRECEDENT The Library of Babel “And yet those who picture the world as unlimited forget that the number of possible books is not. I will be bold enough to suggest this solution to the ancient problem: The Library is unlimited but periodic. If an eternal traveler should journey in any direction, he would find after untold centuries that the same volumes are repeated in the same disorder—which, repeated, becomes order: the Order. My solitude is cheered by that elegant hope.” - Jorge Luis Borges “The Library of Babel” 1967 < Looking into ways of creating a building that will adapt and develop over time as the collection of stories grows - Feeding the building with stories keeps it going! Borges was exploring the idea that since the number of words in any language is finite, this makes their possible combination’s i.e books, finite. Therefore there will eventually come a time when writers will reach the point of asking “which book shall I write?” instead of “what book shall I write?”. The second abstract idea that Borges was investigating was the hope in discovering an “order” to life that could be discovered by an eternal journey or voyage, stemming from a nervousness of being lost, and not understanding the universe. I think this relates quite well to the concept of my brief. By allowing Bristol residents to tell there own personal story and life experience as a way of therapy, I think it challenges Borges idea that ‘books as finite’ - his theory may have logic but I am not entirely convinced that stories are finite. No single persons life and thoughts will be EXACTLY the same as another person, and neither will it be written with the same emphasis, or apathy towards the same subject, hence, there will always be some (even if slight) differences between one story and another. The idea of reaching an ‘order’ through constant discovery and voyage relates with my concept of the buildings users reaching an understanding of themselves, their place in the world, and their understanding of other people, through storytelling and self analysis - attaining an ‘order’ for their life.
Bristol CONCEPT Workshops above, more private. Access below, more public.
Two routes through the building. PUBLIC. PRIVATE. PUBLIC: Access route through the landscape into and out of the city PRIVATE: Journey taken by those taking their stories and turning them into a book to be left within the library.
Solid concrete base, filled with books, supporting light weight timber structure of activity above.
Bristol PRECENDENT LOUID KAHN I did some research into some of Louis Kahns buildings. I love his simple pallette of materials, and the monumental concrete structures with the almost monolithic lighting qualities. In relation to my growing concrete library of books that cuts through the existing landscape and supports lighter timber workshop elements above,I took inspriation in trying to create a building with simple lines and impressive scale.
Bristol SITE PLAN 1:2500 The Storytelling Centre is orientated towards the two libraries in Bristol. Bristol City Library and Bedminster Library.
SOUTHWEST ELEVATION 1:200
Bristol ROOF PLAN 1:500
SCARS Story collection and storytelling spaces
TRANSITIONS Papermaking, transcribing, typing and bookbinding workshops
NEW BEGINNINGS Public library
SECOND FLOOR PLAN 1:200 1. Mezzaninne Level over papermaking workshop 2. Transcribing and typing workshop 3. Book binding workshop 4. Walkway within service wall 5. Lift
FIRST FLOOR PLAN 1:200 1. Threshold. Entrance to private facilities 2. Individual storytelling spaces 3. Group storytelling space 4. Papermaking workshop 5. Paper drying and storage space 6. Store room 7. Story cafe 8. Kitchen 9. Walkway within service wall 10. Lift
GROUND FLOOR PLAN 1:200 1. Public access link to and from the city 2. Auditorium 3. Service wall 4. Library corridors
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DIAGRAM OF PRIVATE ROUTE THROUGH BUILDING 1:200