Botanical Theaters

13th, 2024

Shannon McCaddon | 19683751

University of Westminster | Design Studio 20 May

Three Mills lsland was chosen due to its connection with the studio project through the River Lea and the Line. Though it is used often for walks and recreational activities, occupants seem hesitant on how to approach the open field and circulate through the site.

The preforming arts community is prevelent in the surrounding areas in the form of acting schools, film and dance studios. There is also residential flats and moorings with a need for green space and allotments nearby with a high demand for more.

BOWLOCKSRAILWAYBRIDGE

Aside from its everyday function as a recreational area, Three Mills Green serves as a festival space. This schedule shows the events picked up after COVID but have since become less common with only one event planned for since 2022.

This map using textural rubbings taken from the site shows the majority of damage to the groundcover biodiveristy from foot traffic has been done to the center of the green.

Mono-culture

Current conditions at Three Mills Green. Heavily damaged by human foot traffic.

Bio-Diversity with Sacrificial Zones

Groundcover is diverse but areas will be damaged by human foot traffic.

Wetland Bio-Diversity with Human Symbiosis Walkways protect shade tolerant groundcover and aquatic plants beneath.

changes in the natural environMent 1860

First Nature

Existing natural world without human intervention.

Second nature

Production nature such as agriculture and allotments.

1890

1910

Third NaTure

Picturesque nature such as parks and recreation areas.

Forth Nature

Altered nature that has been reclaimed akin to its original conditions.

The site was historically wetland and was used for agriculture. In the 1910s it saw a shift to recreational use with the agriculture shrinking eventually to a small allotment north of three mills. In the 1950’s Prescott channel was created to manage flooding. In 2009 Three Mills Lock was installed on the channel which rendered the northern portion of the river non-tidal.

Excavations undertaken in 2007 on the site of the Thames Plate Glass Company works provided the first opportunity to explore a historic plate glass-works site and investigate the various technological and production processes.

PePPer’s Ghost

In the early 1860s large plates of glass were in high demand from theaters in order to achieve the optical illusion known as Pepper’s Ghost. A plate of glass was placed between the main stage and the audience which was used as a mirror to project an image from a hidden stage. Records show that Thames Plate Glass Company in 1863 had completely sold out of the largest plates to meet the demand. This technique is still used in live shows today.

residential Buildings W/o garden

three Mills residential Moorings

cody dock allotMents

foraging classes

aWareness of cody dock

Biodiversity and Water Quality

BOTANICAL

THEATERS

three Mills studios

Music and food festivals the line

harris science acadeMy east london

international school of screen acting

historic theatrical Plate glass

RestoRed Wetland

InteractIve Wetland WalkWays

Claude Glass Installment

Lookout cafe AmphitheAter

PePPer’s Ghost BridGe landbridge

Camera ObsCura

nteract ve Wetland Pat o

Learning garden

The site will act as a collections of informal “theaters” where the occupant can be presented with wetland biodiversity as the main actor while enjoying their time. It will also have a more formal stage for nearby preforming arts communities as well as allotments connecting to the existing allotments to the north.

Main three effects to Be used on

This technique uses a imperceptible sheet of glass that reflects a ghostly image onto a stage. It was used in Victorian theaters but is still used in theme parks today.

The camera obscura works by allowing light from an external scene to pass through a small hole into a darkened room or box. Inside, the light rays create an inverted and reversed image of the scene. The camera obscura was historically a tool for artists and as a precursor to modern photography.

Claude glass is a Victorian technique to frame the landscape for artists. The rounded mirror places the viewer in the scene.

PePPer’s ghost

caMera oBscura

claude glass

Two stage installements using the Pepper’s Ghost theatical effect will replacing existing bridges on the North and East of the island.

A thin sheet of plate glass will reflect a hologram like illusion of the water below to eye-level of the occupant. The video at link below shows the water in motion.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U_ vxmGxb57O1MBz2XvNIl5or-zcV_lA-/view?usp=sharing

staring the river lea

Pepper’s Ghost theatrical Illusion will bring the rivers movement to eye-level allowing it to be an actor in the botanical theater.

Referencing the local area’s history of plate glass production as well as the surrounding acting colleges and studios.

PEPPER’S GHOST BRIDGE

Water Quality and texture

This Pepper’s Ghost installation will offer an alternative perception of the river. The water in its honesty will be displayed, forcing the occupant to view pollutants if they are present or appreciating its beauty if they are not.

This re-imagination of the camera obscura technique would project the wetland ground outside the building onto the interior wall. Due to being a live projection it would capture the movement of the water and any creatures in the habitat while they remain undisturbed.

Inside this stage the occupant is presented with the ground projected onto the wall in front. By shifting the ground to eye-level they are confronted with the biodiversity of the ground cover and wetland biology which might otherwise be overlooked.

caMera oBscura section

Projection glass Bottle & clay Material

Mirror lens

ancoring chair

CLAUDE GLASS STAGE

settinG the staGe

Claude glass is a convex, tinted mirror used primarily in the Victoria era designed to soften and frame the landscape for artists.

Using this technique in the ecosystem here will frame , allowing them to see part of the surrounding ecosystem.

credit: Pac Studio’s Claude Reflected

credit: Pac Studio’s Claude Reflected

MATERIAL EXPLORATION

Material diagraM

litter and Pollution

Crushed glass was used to signify areas with heavy litter recorded and red to denote air pollution typically from vehicle emissions.

natural Purification

In the map shown here, mud was used to note where reed beds or other relatively bio-diverse natural areas were recorded. Reeds are an important part of the ecosystem and help purify water.

Energy costs drop about 2-3% for every 10% cutlet used in the manufacturing process

Glass and Bindweed Model

This sample sought to create a transparent facade by combining recycled glass and bindweed. Littered glass bottles were cut into discs with a glass cutter. Then, the durable and invasive bindweed plant was used to weave the pieces together.

Glass

Brick and clay

Upon visiting the Bulmer Brick factory and acquiring local clay, I investigated the combinations with glass and reed flower. Taking inspiration from waste bricks made during the time of “The Great Stink,” I tested various combinations. Additionally, attempting fired and unfired options.

Brick testinG

ceMent and glass Bottle tests

Bottles and clay and ceMent

This material testing represents a a clay and cement wall that uses bottle to fill reduce the amount of material needed. Additionally this material would allow for light to enter and birds to nest in the openings. Samples of different ratios were tested as well as different arrangements.

final Bottle, clay and ceMent tile

With the lessons learnt from the previous tests, this final tile was created that uses various angles of bottle cuts to allow light in at different times of day. See the video at this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NMYaN-A1HlURrpqIpbLMyDtfx9-42XeB/view?usp=sharing

CIRCULATION

December 4th |12:55-13:25

nature

Many come to the park to enjoy the sun and open air. There is a community in areas along The Line such as Cody Dock who enjoy foraging and ecology.

leisure

Joggers and bicyclists used the area for exercise, particularly on the East path. There is a playground known as Wild Kingdom play space.

PerforMers

The site is located adjacent to Three Mills Studio and International School of Screen Acting. Music festivals with live performers have also been held in the space.

residents

Residents of Three Mills Residential Moorings, nearby apartment buildings and single family housing to the north use the park for walks.

Gardeners

Allotments to the North are highly desired. There are many flats and houseboats that do not have garden space. The allotments serve as a haven for wildlife.

children

The site is located near Harris Science Academy East London and is a place for children to play and gather.

PredictinG desire Paths

Desire paths are informal trails created by human and animal traffic that emerge over time. They often run contrary to planned walkways in order to get to the desire location as fast as possible.

While the existing site seems to completely disregard desire paths, the site intervention hopes to predict these desire paths and provide raised walkways to protect the diverse groundcover and organisms.

MAIN STAGE

The stage would act as a location for preforming arts to practise their crafts in a casual setting as well as have the ability to host more formal events such as music festivals.

Site Intervention

This installation will connect existing allotments to new allotments on the island. It will soften the waters edge and install a reed bed to help wildlife to reach and interact with the waters edge. The bridge will allow for animals and humans alike to cross.

WETLAND BIODIVERSITY

Phasing diagraMs

Phase 0

Informed by the historical use as wetlands and agriculture, this site will be brought back to wet conditions to promote biodiversity and healthy water circulation. The installation of the loch was subject to disapproval from environmental activists as it would render the Northern part of the river non-tidal which native fish species relied on for their breeding grounds. This project will slowly re-introduce a less extreme tidal environment to the North area of the river in a controlled process.

Existing conditions at Three Mills Island have the waters edge raised with metal reinforcements. Midway through the island, a loch and river weir separates the tidal waters of the River Lea from the non-tidal Water Works river.

Phase I

At this stage, the elevation of designated wetland restoration areas will be lowered with retention areas throughout to collect water.

WaTer SloWly FilTered inTo non-Tidal

Phase II

The earth excavated from wetland areas will be used to cover the stage. Reed beds and pioneer plants will be installed along with wetland walkways to protect groundcover from human foot traffic. The tide will be controlled at the loch to allow water into the site.

Phase III

Allotments will be fenced and the classroom will teach allotment owners on how to responsibly farm to reduce runoff as well as recycling workshops. Flood tolerant trees will be planted in wetland areas.

Tidal RiveR Comes in

Tidal

Three Mills loch

Three Mills Wall river Weir

Tidal Range

Additive terrAforming

Subtractive terraforming

Shell Mold

Reed Beds to FilteR WateR

In this studio we are building a life project in the Cody Dock community hub. In my personal investigation I will connect and access the community of Cody Dock through the Line.

The pontoon would make use of material studies done by the studio, where the panels can be hung and tested in a real environment.

In the process of communicating with the client, the project evolved to be a floating bird hide and meeting space. The design will have openings along areas where birds such as the Kingfisher are likely to be spotted.

These renders show the pontoon using Jesmonite panels formed from the natural shape taken on by the fabric.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16tXaiHn8qnIj6vcJkGMkt_FUWN0TaO0F?usp=sharing

citations

River Lea https://the-line.org/

Three Mills Events

https://wearethefair.com/project/three-mills-2021 https://ra.co/clubs/132956/past-events https://www.festivall-app.com/it/festivals/maiden-voyage

Glass

https://www.wessexarch.co.uk/our-work/leamouth https://blog.cmog.org/2012/09/11/ghosts-and-magicand-glass/ https://www.pacstudio.nz/project/claude-reflected https://daily.jstor.org/the-claude-glass-revolutionized-the-way-people-saw-landscapes/