The Easton Circle

AR30022: INDIVIDUAL PROJECT

THE

SWETA LAKSHUMANAN SANKER

EASTON CIRCLE

The Easton Circle: Not just a Community Centre The Importance of Intergenerational Interdependence

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08

Brief

01

Site

11

Proposal

21

Structure and Tectonic

51

Environment

71

Regulations

85

Future

89

The eclectic suburb

The need for a beacon

The user experience

The grid

The simple approach

The equality debate

The dream

Design Process The chaos

93

This is Southmead.

This is Horfield.

This is Westbury-on-Trym.

This is Lockleaze.

This is Bishopston.

This is Eastville.

This is Redland.

This is the Bristol-Bath cycle path.

This is Ashley.

This is Easton.

This is Clifton Down.

This is Cotham.

This is Central Bristol.

This is Clifton.

This is Lawrence Hill.

This is Harbourside.

“Easton voted one of the top 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world This is Southville.

by Time Out�

This is Windmill Hill.

This is Bedminster.

This is Knowle.

This is Filwood.

This is Brislington West.

01 Brief The Eclectic Suburb

BREAKING THE NORM Easton is a ward in East Bristol which has seen one of the largest regional shifts in economic growth and social patterns over the past few decades.

From being labelled as being home to one of Britain’s most dangerous streets in 2011 to now being considered as one of the top 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world to reside in by TimeOut, Easton stands as living proof of the positive impact a community can have on their respective surroundings.

As the eclectic suburb of Easton starts to gain popularity on a global scale, residents have started to express their concerns about the growing problems of social isolation and intergenerational barriers within the region.

The influx of new people moving into Easton has caused a massive shift in the existing social scene within the vicinity as familiar faces start to get lost in a sea of new developments, thereby, segregating the very essence of what put Easton on the map.

01

Personal collection of photos of Easton’s street art

02

A CONSCIOUS SOCIETY

‘‘

There is a risk that the people who actually make this community what it is are being priced out of the area -

Resident, Up Our Street Neighbourhood Report 1

‘‘

I loved the old sense of community here but I think that it is disappearing through a process of gentrification. I still see people that I know but there is a whole load of people who are moving in… a different kind of people, which is fine, but it seems to be driving people back into their own groups or tribes now…

Resident, Up Our Street Neighbourhood Report 1

03

Social isolation is defined as a state of complete or near-complete lack of contact between an individual and society.

We live in a time where we have the luxury of technology to help us stay connected and healthy without having to leave the premises of our house.

As a result, a large portion of our society, especially of the younger generation choose not to participate in local communities and gatherings.

This in turn creates a segregated community of individuals across all generations - particularly in that of the elderly who rely almost entirely upon physical interactions.

Easton is an exceptionally diverse ward as it is - with about 40% of its population being of black and minority ethnic groups and about 18% speaking a main language other than English.

Easton’s recent large influx of young, working residents within the area has resulted in a massive shift towards a community that disregards the value of social participation - the informality of meeting random neighbours and sparking a conversation about groceries or their hobbies have slowly started slipping away as the community falls into a rut of eat, work and sleep with no play - leading to increasing levels of loneliness and anxiety.

Alternatively, if we as individuals choose to live in a community where different members of society interact and converse with one another, this can not only help mitigate loneliness in cases of the elderly but can also help steer young individuals in the right direction - not to mention help mentor young parents and career-driven individuals.

so the tables TURN to us as designers

Based on a recent study, about 61% of residents in Easton and Lawrence Hill 1 feel that among the main reasons for the increasing levels of social isolation within the region include the lack of an overarching community support system that can help ease the growing language and intergenerational barriers between the existing and new community members of Easton.

*

How can we help fight alongside communities to help mitigate problems of social isolation within a society?

Working within the limitations of COVID-19, this study can also play a vital role in developing a design strategy to help reintroduce society into the world of interaction, post social distancing

04

A SOLUTION?

When asked what they felt the community was currently lacking, about 50% of the local population said that there is not enough large public spaces and activities within the vicinity to help bring everyone together.

As much as Easton prides itself on being a community which stands together and encourages social participation on a large scale; an element which Easton and the East of Bristol lacks currently is a communal focal point specifically a town centre or a square.

Easton is home to multiple ‘mini’ community centres - meaning that every few streets in Easton have different centres for different needs - some just for young children and others just for adults.

These multiple centres therefore fail in bringing the entire community of Easton together.

Are there enough ... to bring people together?

Community of Easton

Easton residents say YES

Festivals

41%

Community events

45%

Street parties

32%

Youth activities

18%

Sporting activities

27%

NO

Society, in its norm chooses to segregate children and adults keeping the messy kids table away from the sophisticated adults.

Easton however has proved that it requires a totally different approach - a proposal which challenges this norm and has the ability to bring all generations together - encouraging the interdependence between members of its diverse society.

05

Existing squares in Bristol

A FOCAL POINT A square plays a vital role within a community as it acts as a reference point for all members of the society to relate to. It becomes the beacon of hope and strength of the community that surrounds it as it does not only play a role as a meeting space but also provides the flexibility to become a playground, a picnic spot, an open theatre, a skateboarding platform or any form of gathering space that one can think of.

An illustration of how I imagine pedestrianised streets in Easton can help improve social interactions

06

A LARGER THAN LIFE COMMUNITY CENTRE In March 2020, an executive decision was made to merge three of Easton’s organisations together - a charity called Up Our Street, the existing Easton Community Centre and the Felix Road Adventure Playground. The new organisation looks towards forming one unifying body which can cater for the needs of the community at a larger scale by pooling their resources together.

07

‘‘

We need a building that is simple to use and manage; but at the same time fun and engaging -

Easton resident

Up Our Street Charity

Bristol City Council

This new, larger organisation is seen as a hopeful start for Easton’s new and improved community leadership - a pioneer in establishing a larger and more current community centre to cater for the growing ward through the design of a new community centre and an adventure playground.

Felix Road Adventure Playground

Clients from Up Our Street, Felix Road Adventure Playground and Easton Community Centre were consulted on the requirements and development of this brief in January 2020 at Easton Community Centre.

Easton Community Centre

CLIENT ENVIRONMENT GOALS

PROJECT DESIGN GOALS

ol

2km bore hole

Br ist

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-B

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Stre

Cy

cle

n Owe

Pa t

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CLIENT PROJECT GOALS

Easton Community Centre

To address the rising problems of social isolation within different cultures and ages of the local community

Low maintenance building with high user control settings for the internal surroundings

Owen Square Community Energy Project

To address the lack of free play space available for children living in overcrowded homes

To encourage interactions and promote togetherness within the society

To utilise the existing thermal boreholes within the park to store any surplus heat generated by solar panels in the summer for the use of the community centre and nearby houses in the winter

Simple, low energy approaches overall to keep running costs of proposal low

Fun and playful faรงades to encourage children and adults to explore the world beyond work and stress

A proposal which can change into a huge adventure playground when infills and interior spaces are taken down

08

VIABILITY OF PROPOSED SITE The proposed site is located on Kilburn Street, BS5 6AW.

Fire in Easton Community Centre In August 2019, part of the Easton Community Centre - primarily the BCfm studio on the first floor was burnt down in a fire due to a technical problem. This was seen as a huge loss for the community and hence, a new centre with better facilities will help restore this crucial aspect of the community.

Inability to adapt and expand for new uses and growing population When asked, the users of the building mentioned that the current community centre lacked the ability to be modified and changed according to the various uses that the community wished to use it for. There is a sufficient lack of multipurpose spaces and offices available for the users - which will be more apparent when the three organisations merge and are required to work under one roof.

They mentioned how the inward looking building and the narrow corridors within the scheme did not promote a welcoming entrance to members of the community and passer-byers. The new scheme would therefore need to be designed to be more open and engaging to all levels of society.

Overall poor energy performance leading to high maintenance cost and poor internal environments

09

Lacks community engagement and user friendly experiences The redevelopment of the existing site as a new, more open community centre and adventure park has the potential to become a catalyst for a new, thriving Easton like never before - creating a safe space where members of the public are willing and excited to bring their family members and children to.

This new centre would not only provide a space that encourages children to imagine and explore the outdoors like the olden days but would also create a supportive network of individuals who value the codependency of generations to come.

‘‘

The vibrant building on Kilburn Street ... is badly in need of investment after years of neglect to become the centre the community deserves -

Ellie Pipe, Bristol 24/7 2

BRISTOL - BATH CYCLE PATH

Residential area

Owe

PROPOSED ADVENTURE PARK n St

ree

t

Kilb

urn

Easton

PROPOSED SITE Stre

et

Road

Win

dso

r Gr ove

Key Pedestrian / Cyclist access

TRAINS TO CENTRAL BRISTOL

Vehicular access Train tracks

10

Existing Site Plan

02 Site The Need for a Beacon

THE EXISTING DILEMMA

Due to the nature of the brief, this project looks more towards the site itself and facilitating the needs of Easton as a client in terms of the bigger picture rather than inserting a building onto a chosen site.

The context therefore needed to be studied to a deeper extent - to establish what the current community was lacking and how my proposed community centre could help fill this void.

What are the main concerns within your area?

YES People disrespecting common spaces

55%

Drug use

39%

Inadequate facilities

31%

Not enough green spaces and parks

26%

Cyclists not sharing mixed-use paths

15%

‘‘

NO

It’s sad seeing boys leading life the way they do. We can do more for our boys - like activities and not playing with law. We can create places for them to go to in the evening.

Easton resident 1

A positive influence How can the design of this new community centre help create a positive impact within the community whilst still retaining the essence of what they stand for? How can we get the younger generation to positively contribute to society?

11

EASTON CIRCLE THE INFERRED BRIEF The brief for this project therefore extends into the idea of creating a SOCIAL CIRCLE via the proposed community centre as a means of cherishing and protecting the very essence of what Easton’s community once stood for - the interdependence between generations.

The newly proposed community centre would not only be an improved hub for the community to gather at, but will also look towards facilitating the foundations of ‘The Easton Circle’ - a social support barter system where members are encouraged to participate in a horizontal exchange of skills across all ages of the community. The community centre would therefore need to allow for several workshops and flexible spaces to be used for a wide range of activities - for example, a wood workshop, an art studio and a tech room.

Ever wanted to build your own mailbox? But you are just a tailor and you don’t know the first thing about carpentry, let alone have the tools for it!

Well, what if we had communal tools to share? What if we could all help each other out?

I’ll teach you if you teach me.

1

4

How does it work?

1

Samson (Mechanic) 45 years old

Samson’s children need help with drama class

2

Alice (Student) 16 years old

Needs help altering her prom dress

3

Susan (Retired tailor) 55 years old

Needs help with her computer to email her grandchildren

4 Mohamed (Programmer)

21 years old

Needs help fixing his car

2

3

12

SITE ANALYSIS 1. Views onto the site The way the intersection between the two long vistas is treated will be a crucial aspect of the design as the site sits at the end of a very long street leading down from the very popular St Marks Road.

Clear view of proposal from St Marks Road View from cycle path onto site

Clear view of proposal from Easton Road

2. Vehicular access The site lends itself quite nicely in terms of accessibility.

The smaller access road towards the North of the site (Owen Street) can be used as a service entrance whilst the large, main road (Easton Road) on the South can be used to draw people through the site.

Owen Street

Easto n

Road

3. Existing Landscape The existing topography of the site is level and flat.

There is however a slight slope towards the cycle path from the East of the site to allow for the ramp from the cycle path to road level.

The park is filled with tall, deciduous trees which can be used as natural playspaces and shaded seating spots within the proposal for the adventure park.

13

Slope

Owen Street

Bristol Bath Cycle Path

Easton Road

Cycle path is elevated at +3m

1 : 500 site model

14

THE THRESHOLD The existing threshold of the site was thoroughly studied to distinguish between the various public and private frontages which potentially influence the locations of the proposed accommodations

Building facade determines street profile

Minimal setback from main road

D

BU SY

C YC

LE

PA TH

Elaborate and colourful ground floor articulation

PU

BL

IC

A

N

Protected but busy

X

LINK

X

PUBLIC

Loud and busy

Quiet and sheltered

X MAI

N RO AD

Key

Site Profile of frontage onto site is random and unordered Potential link to draw cyclists through site and into Easton

15

No boundary (open access)

X

Entrance points Secured corners (no entry) Secured boundary (no access)

ADJACENCIES

Community workshop Community workshop Community workshop

Storage

Plant

Small multi purpose

Service entrance

Refuse

Indoor play space

Small multi purpose

Outdoor adventure park

Community kitchen

Large multipurpose

Cleaner Cafe WC

Admin

Archive

WC

Play worker

Indoor courtyard

Foyer / Breakout space Nappy room

Radio station

Classroom Meeting room

Meeting room

Organisation

Organisation

Entrance

Key

Organisation

WC

Admin

Children WC

Storage

Owen Street Energy Centre

Milk kitchen

Entrance

Entrance

Predicted usage Activity spaces Services and admin Offices Circulation and interaction Nursery Weekday Weekend

Bank holiday

School holiday

Proposal

16

Precedent

Rigidity of grid balances the randomness of the sculptures Parc de la Villette Paris 1987

Maritime Youth Centre Copenhagen 2004

Buildings are used to create a loose boundary Brockholes Visitor Centre Lancashire 2012

17

Design of a square through proposal helps create a gathering space

The scheme was developed through a [rather large] series of partii diagrams - trying to establish a relationship between the harsh urban edge of Kilburn Street and that of the natural landscape of Owen Square Park

Response to site

Week 1 - 5

It became evident that a physical link was desired between the existing Bristol - Bath Cycle Path and Easton Road. Therefore, the typology of the proposal would need to consist of several individual buildings.

18

HOW DO YOU REPRESENT AN ECLECTIC COMMUNITY? The proposed scheme would need to take into account Easton’s cohesive yet collective individualism - creating a scheme that allows for multiple members of the community to use the proposal for different purposes at the same time

HOW DO YOU END A STREET? The design needs a tall focus point at this junction - such as an observation tower that can act as a key monument for the local community to identify with

19

DESIGN MOVES 1 The workshops have the ability and the domestic scale to continue the regularity of the street as it enters the proposal from Owen Street - allowing for a seamless continuation from the existing built environment to the newly proposed centre 2 The location of the cafe allows for a constant interaction between the existing ‘Plough Inn’ pub on Kilburn Street and the proposed cafe - activating the space between the two with people interacting and eating 3 The tower houses the playworker’s office - the individual in charge of the safety of the children in the park. It therefore needs to have good and clear sight lines at all times over the entire site. The tower’s height gives the overarching sense that someone is always watching over the community, ensuring everyone’s safety is in tact. The addition of a slide from the top of the tower, encourages children to check in with the playworker from time to time as it is accessed via his office

5 These are the workshops

This is the adventure park

1

This is the cafe

2 Existing pub

This is the nursery

3

4

This is the tower

4 The nursery needs to be placed in a rather private and quiet area to allow for the young children to sleep and play in their own time - away from the social hub and busyness of the community centre 5 The adventure park is located in an area which has extremely high visibility (in the middle of the site) to ensure children - especially teenagers are discouraged from dangerous activities

20

03 Proposal The User Experience

A BEACON OF HOPE

One of the key intentions of the scheme is to create an environment that engages with the general pedestrian - to encourage people to interact, talk and get excited about the activities happening around them.

The tower at the end of the vista therefore creates an intriguing ‘end’ to the street as it pulls the user towards the square. As the user makes his way down Owen Street, the hotchpotch of reclaimed cladding on the workshops then begin to reveal themselves.

Key

The Easton Circle was designed with the end user experience in mind. The following section has therefore been laid out according to how a user will navigate their way through the whole proposal.

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Site Plan 1 : 1000

0

5

10

20 1 : 1000

Aerial view

24

treet Owen S

Ground Floor Plan 1 : 250

0

2.5

5

1 : 250

ace Indoor playsp

WC

Key

Art Workshop

Activity zones Offices

Sewing Workshop

Plant zones and WC

Skills cour

Nursery

tyard

shop Tech Work

Substation

hop Wood Works

Treehouse Platforms

Refuse Store and Delivery

Kitchen WC

ose Hall Multipurp

Admin

Reception

WC

Cafe WC WC

WC

Theatre Square

Pl an tr oo m

Kitchenette

Meeting room Organisation office

WC

To we rB as e

Organisation office

WC

Waiting space

Radio station

Organisation office

Reception

Nursery WC Milk kitchen

Eas ton Roa d

25

ace for Gathering sp s ist cl cy ol (Cycle and To ove with Workshop ab bike ramp)

Park Adventure oodlands W : e em Th

Park Adventure round Theme : G

Creating a focused end to the long vista

rsery Secured nu play space

Linking pedestrians and cyclists across site

Br is to l-

Ba th

C yc le Gr Pa ou th nd (3 m

ab ov e

si te

/p ar k

)

e Social spac (benches)

Continuing the scale and regularity of the street

Creating a communal focal point to gather at

Assembling a group of buildings to form positive public spaces

26

First Floor Plan 1 : 250

0

2.5

5

1 : 250

Plant Room

Key Activity zones Offices Plant zones and WC

Substation

re Wood sto

Treehouse Platforms m Staff roo storage

/

Plant Room Small ose hall multipurp

Plant Room

Cafe

27

WC

ol Cycle and To Workshop

nce Cyclist entra

Cafe balcony overlooks theatre square

Playworker in tower has good sight lines over adventure park

Br is to l-

Ba th

C yc le

Pa th

(3

m

ab ov e

si te

/p ar k

)

/ Runner’s stop Observation deck

Bristol - Bath Cycle Path connects into adventure park on +3m

Small multipurpose hall overlooks large hall

Treehouse platforms located around adventure park

28

THE TRANSITION West Elevation 1 : 200

Key

The elevation of the workshops and the multipurpose hall were designed to allow for a transition between the traditional and domestic scale of Easton’s colourful Victorian houses into a more current and contemporary public square within the community centre. The pockets of landscape in between the proposed buildings aim to pull the landscape from the adventure park into the square and subsequently Owen Street.

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INTRODUCING A THRESHOLD Long Section

Key

A threshold of public to private spaces had to be established in terms of hierarchy of space due to the nature of the brief which involves multiple individual users and organisations accessing the building at the same time

Semi Private Workshops

31

Public Hall

Sketch sections Week 2

Private Offices

32

THE WORKSHOPS Key

The workshops will be set up and leased out to individual professionals or small start ups at the start of every year at a subsidised rate - on the condition that the workshops are allowed to be used by the general public for 3 days a week whilst being supervised by the professionals in charge.

Illustration showing how the barter system of hours work in the Easton Circle

Mitchell helps Claire learn about graphic designing in the tech workshop (3 hours)

Jay wants to make something for his granddaughter

Gloria teaches Jay about sewing (4 hours)

Gloria banks in 4 hours for any future needs

Mitchell needs help building a mailbox for his mom- uses his 3 hours

33

Jay teaches Mitchell about the basics of carpentry (3 hours)

1

Community allowed to paint on facade 2

Reclaimed zinc shingles 3

Workshops open up to courtyard for skills sharing

2

1

3

Isometric view of skills sharing courtyard

34

THE EDUCATIONAL FACADE East Elevation 1 : 200

Key

The facade of the Cafe was designed to allow rainwater to trickle down the rainscreen panels into the permeable pavements. The wave like texture and colour was chosen to mimic the qualities of water as an attempt to intrigue pedestrians, especially children - to give them an insight into how rainwater is drained in a commercial building of this scale.

Rainwater drains into side gutters

Rainwater drains into permeable pavements into water tank

35

Ribbed aluminium cladding

36

LANDSCAPING STRATEGY

‘‘

The scheme was designed to have various communal focal points within the landscape to create pockets of chance meeting spaces throughout the community centre - to encourage people of all ages to socialise and interact, irrespective of if they are on a bicycle, walking or in a car.

As seen in the diagram below, this is achieved by creating a series of angled meeting spaces of various scales and uses (in red) which are connected by perpendicular links (in green).

Kids should be able to play when they want. It’s not a bad idea [to temporarily close streets] but it covers up the actual problem that all streets should be more child-friendly Easton resident 1

The scheme also benefits from the introduction of a shared surface between Kilburn Street and Easton Road to manage oncoming traffic.

Existing analysis of how a busy street in Easton can be changed into a shared surface

Key

1

Urban Theatre Square Primary space, loud. active

Council meetings, outdoor plays, food trucks, markets Link

Park in a Park Secondary space, quiet, lingering

Link

3

Link

3

Link

Lunch spot, converse under tree canopies

Skills Courtyard Private space, communal, interactive

Link

2

Link

Courtyard for workshops to spill into and encourage exchange of skills between community members

Link

Parklets

Additional seating spaces under tree canopies for the community

Proposal

Proposed envelope form of buildings

37

Pa th C yc le Ba th

Link Br is to l-

1

Link

Perpendicular links connecting social spaces within the scheme to encourage incidental conversations and meetings

2

Link

Link

St Mark’s Road, Easton Best Street in the UK 2019

38

THE SQUARE Key

The square forms an important part of the overarching idea of what the Easton Circle stands for. It aims to become the communal focal point for Easton and Lawrence Hill becoming a space for the general public to gather at and linger around to meet friends, play games, skateboard and have picnics.

Watermark, Southampton

Regent Park Open Air Theatre, London

Precedent

39

Connecting the Bristol - Bath cycle path with the square

Food truck festivals

Creating a formal focal point in the centre

Creating a boundary around the common square Public dance competitions

Council elections / meetings Endless possibilities

Community barbecue

Picnic square

Public speaking competitions

40

THE OFFICES Key

The office building had to be designed in a very different approach when compared to the other communal aspects of the scheme. Early on in the brief, it was established that the newly formed organisation would need a space which was highly secure and private from the open square.

The steps adjacent to the office building therefore act as a transitional piece which separates the busy public square from the private offices. Each office has a private entrance door on the South facade which leads to a private courtyard for their use.

Development

41

Key

Placing offices on South facade for maximum daylight

Introducing a crank to incorporate a private courtyard

Extending North facade to engage with the public square

Visual of meeting room on East facade

42

NURSERY Key

The nursery was designed to be located as far away as possible from the busyness and noise that is the workshops and the square as children within the nursery require a certain level of security and quietness to be able to concentrate. The orientation and location of the nursery also allows for singular access control and a private courtyard playspace in front of the building to ensure children are in sight at all times.

The design was made to mimic a submarine as it is located in the ‘wetland’ theme of the adventure park

43

Periscope

Roofscape view through periscope

Key

44

DREAM YOUR WILDEST ADVENTURE A large portion of children in Easton live in overcrowded homes in highly deprived situations. An adventure playground therefore has always played a vital role in Easton’s rich culture as it becomes a place of freedom and empowerment for children to experiment and experience on their own.

The landscaping strategy of the entire proposal’s pathways is based on a series of ‘themes’ running through the site

45

‘‘

There are no rules here. There is no ‘right way’ of playing. We want children to experiment and make their own rules - playing at their own will to explore and cultivate their own ideas Eddie Playworker Felix Road Adventure Playground

Illustration of social seating space in adventure park on a quiet day

46

Park theme : Woodlands Trees, wood, climbing, nature

Park theme : Grounds Sand, stones, dirt, mud, building

View of adventure park from playworker’s office

Pathway mimics underground thermal borehole line

47

Cycle path leading to square

Social seating space under tree canopies

Visual of adventure park from play platform

48

THE VISTA Key

?

Jigsaw sketch development of how scheme will be seen by vehicles and pedestrians on Easton Road

X

X

X

Testing and arriving at the answer that the proposal needs a tall focal point to attract pedestrians through the site

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04 Structure and Tectonic The Grid

LET’S BUILD IT TOGETHER? STRUCTURAL PRINCIPLES

SIMPLICITY

During consultation, it was evident that one of the main reasons that the community of Easton resented the design of the existing community centre was due to its inability to adapt to the multiple uses it was needed for.

The rigid and narrow spaces within the building caused inconveniences in terms of performances, meetings and general uses. The clients therefore requested that the new proposal prioritise long term flexibility and simplicity in terms of its construction method - so that it can be easily manipulated and changed accordingly in the long term.

The structural strategy of the proposal is based on a very simple set of construction methods using steel beams, columns and connections.

The approach was designed to be extremely simple involving metsec as the secondary infill to allow for the community to have the ability to adapt and use any form of cladding as they see fit for each building - specifically the workshops.

FLEXIBILITY The primary structure of the scheme comprises of steel columns and primary beams at 5m intervals.

Intermediate beams are then added at 2.5m intervals where a first floor of composite decking is needed to lighten the load of the wet concrete during construction.

These primary columns and beams act like a ‘backbone’ to the entire scheme.

Where the workshops and various other individual buildings have been designed (in this first life), infills and external walls are then placed between these structures using metsec as the secondary infill and then clad with the appropriate facade.

This approach allows for maximum flexibility as the primary structure is seen as the ‘permanent’ aspect of the scheme whereas the infills between these 5m intervals are seen as temporary and can be manipulated as desired by the local community in the long term.

COST The use of metsec allows for a quicker construction time as most of the elements are prefabricated off site leading to lower construction costs.

This approach also helps to keep the overall cost of renovation and upkeep down as the community is completely aware of how each building is constructed and detailed - allowing for easy maintenance upkeep and repair.

51

THE GRID The scheme can be broken down into individual grids of 5m x 5m. Each grid has the same structural principles in terms of its buildup. Hence, the only thing which needs to be identified is where the internal walls sit and which type of roof is going to be used for that particular grid.

B C

The simplicity of the installation of the prefabricated metsec walls allow the community to participate in building their very own community centre.

These grids can then be numbered and assigned to each member of the community should they wish to get involved in the installation process.

A 7

6

Wall panels incorporate cross bracing for overall stability Rainscreen cladding of choice

4

5

Cladding rail with support bracket 150mm rigid insulation Sheating board

Vapour barrier 2 layers of plasterboard

3 Metsec stud infill with insulation between studs

2

Key 1

Concrete pad foundation

2

Ground bearing slab

3 4

Primary steel columns Steel cellular beams

5

Secondary Metsec infill system

6

Composite metal decking

7

Roof type

A

Type 1 - Gable roof

B

Type 2 - Pyramid hip roof with roof light

C

Type 3 - Flat roof

1

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STRUCTURAL OVERVIEW Key

The various buildings within the proposal follow one of the two following structural strategies - namely a steel building with a metsec infill as the secondary system or a concrete structure with a flat slab system.

I

Steel ‘W’ wide flange column Steel primary beam Steel intermediate beam Concrete column

Based on the soil conditions which are mainly made ground for the first 9m below road level, pad foundations will be used under each column to support the ground bearing slab and the weight of the live and dead loads above.

Concrete beam

The structural grid is set up as 5m x 5m.

1

Tower

2

Offices

3 4

Multipurpose space Cafe

5

Workshops

6

Cycle workshop

7

Nursery

6

5 The metsec infills have cross bracing within the wall panels to provide lateral stability The primary structure consists of steel ‘W’ Wide flanged columns and cellular beams supported by a metsec infill that is clad with either ceramic tiles or a rainscreen cladding with a composite metal decking for the upper floors Internal steel columns and beams are exposed

4

3

A composite metal decking has certain known limitations during the construction phase of the building - that is, when the wet concrete is poured onto the deck to stiffen, the deck needs to be able to support the whole weight of the concrete during this phase. Therefore, to lighten the load off the deck, secondary intermediate steel beams have been included at 2.5m intervals

Ground bearing slab on ground floor

1

The primary structure consists of reinforced concrete slabs supported by concrete columns and beams. The use of concrete ‘grounds’ the office building

2

7

53

Exploded axonometric of primary structure Key

1

1

Steel - warm roof

2

Primary steel cellular beams

3 4

Primary steel columns Steel cross bracing

5

Concrete pad foundations

6

Concrete - flat warm roof

7

Concrete columns

6 2

3 7

4

5

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CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE Metsec frame is assembled by approved installers offsite to precise measurements.

Hey man!

Bring the metsec in!

External walls are preclad with rigid insulation to ensure weather tight envelope is achieved before installation and to quicken overall process.

2

1

Existing building is demolished and foundations are laid

5

Panels are delivered and craned into position

8

MEP and final finishes are installed

Metsec frame is installed and bolted together on site

Composite metal decking is installed and concrete is poured

9

55

3

Stairs, lift shafts and bathroom pods are installed 4

6

Primary steel frame is raised

Grand reopening!

THE EDUCATIONAL TECTONIC The roofs of the scheme were designed to the same structural grid, utilising the 5m x 5m squares as a basis for the pitch of the roofs. There are 3 types of roofs according to the square grid, either a flat roof, a gable roof with a solar thermal panel on the South facing pitch or a pyramid hip roof with a roof light and a solar thermal panel.

Key Direction of flow of rainwater Gutter Permeable pavements

Type 1 Gable roof with solar thermal panel

Type 2 Pyramid hip roof with roof light

Type 3 -

Flat roof

Rainwater will drain through exposed downpipes or along the rainscreen facade of the buildings, into the permeable pavements around the site to aid in the Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDs). Water tanks will be placed in each building’s plant room to help with grey water harvesting for toilets and watering of the plants in the park

56

THE EASTON CIRCLE WORKSHOPS

Zinc sheet roofing

100mm Metsec stud

100mm Metsec stud

Aluminium ‘frame’

2 x 15mm Gyproc FireLine 90min fire rating Exposed gutter 2 layers of plasterboard is used internally to help improve acoustic performance

Exposed downpipe

External wall with rainscreen

Rainwater drains into permeable pavements

External cladding for workshops

Graffiti wall by locals

Reclaimed zinc tiles

Art workshop

Sewing workshop

Corten panels Tech workshop

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Reclaimed timber Wood workshop

Internal wall

All the internal spaces within the workshops are double height to allow for maximum flexibility when it comes to the internal usage. These workshops are expected to adapt and change according to the needs of the community on a yearly basis.

58

THE PRIVATE FACADE Detailed South Elevation on a Summer Solstice Day 1 : 50 0

1

2

1 : 50

Key

Powder coated stainless steel handrail

Concrete cantilever acts as horizontal shading from steep summer sun

Powder coated aluminium signage

Folding door with coloured aluminium frame

Triple glazed window

Concrete ribbed finish

Concrete permeable pavement to private outdoor space

59

MATERIAL PALETTE In terms of materiality, the overall palette represents Easton as a strong and vibrant community.

Concrete is used mainly around the office building to convey the narrative of the community being grounded and stable whereas the bright and hotchpotch mixture of cladding materials and steel structural members convey the whimsicality and eclecticism of Easton as a modern and accepting community.

Coloured steel column and beams

Cemfree cement

Plaster

Terrazzo tiles

Powder coated stainless steel handrail Coloured screw cap

Ribbed cement render finish

Reclaimed metals and claddings from local Bristolian reclamation centres

Corrugated aluminium rainscreen cladding Subtle fabric colours to complement bright structural interior

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OFFICE Long Section 1 : 50 0

1

2

1 : 50

Key

Spatial isometric

Seating area

Plant room

Detail 2 - Permeable pavement steps Precast concrete pavers 100mm concrete 100mm type 1 subbase

Hot desking zone

Tectonic The concrete paved steps act as a transition element between the busy, public square and the private office building. The rigidity of concrete allows the space below the steps to be used for multiple purposes including a water collection and plant room as well as a hotdesking zone.

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Rainwater drains through steps and permeable pavements into uninsulated plant room to be stored in underground water tanks for grey water harvesting

Insulation to prevent thermal break

Detail 1 - Accessible roof

Concrete pavers on risers 200mm rigid insulation Screed sloped towards drain 150mm reinforced concrete slab

Detail 4 - External wall 150mm reinforced concrete 150mm rigid insulation Damp proof membrane 100mm masonry blockwork with ribbed cement render finish

Awning and hopper windows for natural ventilation

Detail 3 - Ground bearing slab 75mm polished concrete floor with embedded heating pipes 100mm rigid insulation 100mm concrete slab Damp proof membrane 50mm sand blinding 250mm hardcore

62

MULTIPURPOSE HALL Short Section 1 : 50 0

1

2

1 : 50

Key

Spatial isometric

Detail 1 - Warm Roof Construction Zinc sheet cladding 150mm rigid insulation Vapour control layer Steel ‘Z’ Purlins

Rainwater drains through permeable pavements to attenuation tank for grey water harvesting

Detail 2 - External wall Corrugated aluminium rainscreen cladding Cladding rail with support bracket 150mm rigid insulation Sheating board Metsec stud infill with insulation between studs Vapour barrier 2 layers of plasterboard 63

Steel column connected to pad foundation in distance

Scottsdale Eco Desert David Hovey Precedent

Detail 3 - Ground bearing slab 75mm polished concrete floor with embedded heating pipes 100mm rigid insulation 100mm concrete slab Damp proof membrane 50mm sand blinding 250mm hardcore

64

NURSERY Short Section 1 : 50 0

1

2

1 : 50

Key

Spatial isometric

Detail (Periscope)

65

The nursery is located in the ‘wetland’ theme of the adventure park. Hence, the design of the entire nursery is based upon a submarine.

The periscope within the nursery is designed to allow children and adults to have the opportunity at a glimpse of how the surrounding roofscapes and tree canopies sit.

8mm safety glass mirror

Detail 1 - Periscope buildup Colour coated zinc sheet cladding 25mm ply 25mm batten zone 100mm rigid insulation Breather membrane 100mm reinforced concrete

Detail 2 - Roof buildup Zinc sheet cladding 25mm ply 25mm batten zone 150mm rigid insulation Breather membrane Steel Z Purlin

Detail (Periscope) 1 : 20

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TOWER Structural strategy

Due to the existing views of the site and the design decision of placing the tower at the intersection of these vistas, the tower - which is the tallest and narrowest structure of the proposal is automatically placed in the South West region of the site - aka the windiest part of the site.

The tower would therefore have to be cross braced to withstand the anticipated wind load based on the studies below.

Buckling under compression

Option 1 Steel tension braced

Option 2 Concrete shear lift core

Option 3 Steel cross braced

Negative pressures build up on NE of building, creating an area of low pressure which leads to instability of the whole structure

Wind from SW

Wind from SW

The tower was orientated 45o off of the 5mx5m structural grid to minimise the impact of wind driven pressure points on the tall structure as seen in the sketches on the left.

The lower sketch of the two illustrate the impact of the proposed orientation of the tower which allows wind through it.

The proposed tower therefore allows wind through the middle body of the structure as it is not impeded by any form of cladding - thereby reducing the overall impact of potential wind forces on the tall structure. This with the steel elements which cross brace the structure improve the overall lateral stability.

The overall elevation was made to mimic a set of children’s building blocks.

67

Ceramic tiles

Corrugated metal with coloured steel caps

Cradle beam supports

68

69

PLAYWORKER’S OFFICE Short Section 1 : 50 0

1

2

1 : 50

Key

Detail 1 - Roof Interlocking ceramic tiles Tile battens Counter battens Rafters 150mm insulation between rafters 100mm insulation below rafters Vapour control layer Plasterboard Steel purlins

Detail 2 - External wall Coloured corrugated aluminium rainscreen cladding with coloured screw caps Cladding rail with support bracket 150mm rigid insulation Sheating board Metsec stud infill with insulation between studs Vapour barrier 2 layers of plasterboard

Detail 3 - Suspended concrete floor 75mm polished concrete Polythene impact sound insulation 100mm rigid insulation Vapour control layer 150mm reinforced concrete slab Steel wide flanged beam

Aluminium slide attached to steel column by steel cradle beams

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05 Environment The Simple Approach

ENVIRONMENTAL OVERVIEW From the outset, it was made clear by the clients of the brief that the new community centre would need to be designed to be extremely low maintenance in terms of its upkeep as well as overall operating costs.

Keeping in line with the community’s existing environmental initiatives, the following strategy was adopted.

‘‘

We need a building that is simple to use and manage; but at the same time fun and engaging -

Easton Resident

LOW MAINTENANCE Natural methods of servicing and facilitating the building are used where applicable. The spaces are orientated according to their internal functions to allow natural light and ventilation to be used where available - thus significantly reducing the need for artificial services.

The design decision to expose all the internal structure which includes the cellular beams and the columns allow for services to be passed through these spaces - eliminating the need for bulky suspended floors and improving overall maintenance access. Members of the public also have the opportunity to observe how ductwork, lighting, pipes and plumbing systems are planned throughout a public building.

COST Rather than acting as one large, commercial building which is constantly ventilated and serviced on an hourly basis, the nature of the design of the Easton Circle allows for multiple individual buildings to operate at their own will - based on their individual working hours and needs.

This not only lowers overall operating costs but also helps instil a sense of responsibility in the minds of the users and individuals in charge of these buildings, specifically the workshops.

For example, on a late night - when an individual in the tech workshop would like to stay past the conventional working hours to complete an assignment, he is able to do so with only keeping the services in his workshop switched on - which he will then pay for at the end of month according to his usage - whilst the other buildings like the cafe and the office can be completely turned off and secured.

REUSE OF BROWNFIELD SITE The redevelopment of the existing site as a new, more open community centre and adventure park has the potential to become a catalyst for Easton like never before - creating a safe space where members of the public are willing and excited to bring their family members and children to. This new centre would not only provide a space that encourages children to imagine and explore the outdoors like the olden days but would also create a supportive network of individuals who value the codependency of generations

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Low level operable windows for users of all heights

All other buildings can be switched off and secured if not in use

Illustration of skills courtyard and tech workshop past working hours

72

ORIENTATION OF SPACES The scheme consists of a series of individual buildings. Each building was therefore placed and orientated according to the differing daylighting and occupancy requirements.

Rear of workshops of face East w llo a to te si g in rn for mo t h lig n su

laced Services p North e towards th + good r e ff u b (thermal service ccess) entrance a ced Nursery pla st e Ea towards th e h (Hig st in occupancy eeds n + s g in rn mo privacy)

d Cafe place st e on W of site (for evening activities)

Offices situated towards the South of the site for maximum daylight (Highest occupancy throughout day)

MATERIALS Concrete and steel are the two primary structural materials used throughout the scheme.

Concrete was chosen due to its thermal mass and robustness. The use of a heavy material like concrete helps to maintain a regular internal environment without the expense of artificial services - crucial to the client’s brief. The concrete used is a cemfree cement which is locally sourced from a factory in Bristol (23 min drive away from site) thereby lowering the embodied carbon required for transportation.

Steel is a fully recyclable material which was chosen due to its versatility and strength. Steel proved to be the most structurally efficient material to be used when compared to the required amounts of timber or concrete. The coloured steel to be used is locally sourced from a factory which is located 19 minutes away by car in East Bristol thereby supporting the local industry.

The steel buildings are clad with reclaimed ceramic tiles from some of Bristol’s many reclamation centres.

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GLAZING Due to the nature of the buildings which have a shallow plan, sufficient natural daylight is able to illuminate each space for its individual uses - reducing the need for artificial lighting.

Key Solid faรงades Glazed faรงades

Glazing on the North and West faรงades are minimised to avoid excessive heat loss

Low occupancy

Hall illuminated by roof lights

Low occupancy

Glazing on the South and East faรงades are maximised to allow for good internal gains and daylighting opportunities as these spaces are specifically designed for the highest consistent occupancies throughout the day, e.g. the offices and the nursery

Moderate occupancy

High occupancy

High occupancy

ACOUSTICS Each internal space was placed and grouped together with regards to their anticipated activity and noise levels.

The buildings which are expected to generate a lot of noise and activity - namely the multipurpose spaces, the cafe and the workshops are placed towards the North of the site, together with the adventure park

The more quieter and private building such as the offices are placed towards the South of the site

The nursery is separated and positioned in the South East portion of the site to allow for high security levels and an overall quieter setting for kids to sleep and focus in

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SEASONAL OVERVIEW A closer look at the office block - which is expected to have the highest consistent occupancy rate throughout the year

Clerestory window allows for internal corridors and offices to be illuminated by North light without vast solar gains

Rainwater drains through permeable pavements and into attenuation tank in plant room

Glazing on South facade

Horizontal shading of 1.5m to prevent overheating from steep summer sun

Rainwater drains through permeable pavements and into the attenuation tank in plant room

Rainwater collected in attenuation tank to be used in washrooms through grey water harvesting

SUMMER Key

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Thermal line

Single sided natural ventilation using awning and hopper windows

Window openings at different heights to cater for children and adults

Thermal mass of concrete blockwork helps regulate internal environment throughout the day

Clerestory window allows for internal corridors and offices to be illuminated by North light

Glazing on South facade

Horizontal shading allows for good internal gains from low winter Sun

Uninsulated plant room

1

Intake of cold air (4oC) from external surrounding

2

5

4

MVHR ceiling unit heats Warm and humid air cold air from external is extracted from supply (4oC) to internal offices and wet desired temperature (21oC) rooms to MVHR unit 3 using heat recovered from internally extracted air Fresh, pre-heated air before being exhausted is supplied to internal externally spaces from MVHR unit

Space heating via underfloor heating pipes embedded in concrete floor

WINTER Key

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VENTILATION STRATEGY Given the overall domestic scale of the scheme, a large portion of the individual buildings can rely almost entirely upon natural ventilation.

This therefore reduces the need for excessive plant space as well as keeps the overall costs of maintenance relatively low.

A mixture of single-sided and cross ventilation is used throughout the scheme with various high and low-level openings to allow children and adults to have control over their desired internal environment.

A simple MVHR unit is also placed in the ceiling of corridors and plant rooms as a back up in case natural ventilation is not suitable.

B

B

A

A

C

C D

D

Key Mixed mode ventilation (Natural ventilation + MVHR) Purely mechanical ventilation

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Back up MVHR with ductwork through cellular beams

Cross ventilation

Section A - A

Single sided ventilation Ductwork and service pipes run through cellular beams Low level operable windows for children Section B - B

Plant

MVHR for corridor

Single sided ventilation

Section C - C

Periscope for kids

Cross ventilation Low level operable windows for children to access Section D - D

78

LIGHTING STRATEGY Most of the internal spaces within the scheme benefit from at least one of the three available natural sources of light - either through roof lights, clerestories or glazing on the Southern facade. The orientation and placement of the internal spaces allow for good internal daylight factors which in turn significantly reduce the need for artificial lighting.

The social spaces (marked in yellow) are mainly top-lit via a square roof light whereas the working spaces (marked in orange) benefit mainly from clerestories and glazed Southern faรงades.

Artificial lighting (18W 1300 LED Lumen bulbs) has been included to accommodate for low levels of natural lighting and after sunlight hour conditions.

A

A

B

B

C

C

Required illuminance (lux)

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500 lux

Natural and artificial lighting

300 lux

Natural and artificial lighting

150 lux

Natural and artificial lighting

100 lux

Artificial lighting

South light at 35o on solar thermal panel

North light through roof light

Section A - A

Clerestory light to illuminate office Clerestory light to illuminate corridor

Horizontal shading of 1.5m on Southern facade to prevent overheating from Sun at Solar azimuth (62o)

Section B - B

Deciduous trees prevent overheating in summer and allow heat gains in winter North light through roof light

Light from East and South East

Section C - C Periscope

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HEATING STRATEGY Solar Thermal Heating Treehouse Owen Square Community Energy Project

The Owen Square Community Energy Project has been operating since 2016 - successfully supplying the existing community centre and nearby homes with heat all year round. The initiative stores surplus heat energy collected in the summer in thermal boreholes of 20m under the existing community centre to be used for space heating purposes in the winter.

Heating in the winter is distributed via underfloor heating pipes.

Optimal thermal comfort temperature 21o 18o Substation

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Currently, in the UK, around 80% of buildings are heated by gas. Through this initiative, Easton Community Centre aims to demonstrate the benefits of a district heating system which is based on solar energy, ground source heat pumps and thermal boreholes. This initiative aims to test the benefits of inter seasonal heat storage in the South West region of England. If successful, this initiative can be deployed to be used in various other communities within the region.

The proposed landscape strategy of the adventure park is based on the existing thermal borehole map in Owen Square park!

SOLAR THERMAL PANELS

SOLAR COLLECTOR LOOP

DISTRICT HEATING LOOP

TREEHOUSE SUBSTATION

Insulation Sand U - tube Water heat transfer liquid

Grout tube

LANDSCAPE PATHWAY

Borehole

MANIFOLD CHAMBER

BOREHOLE LOCATION

UNDERFLOOR HEATING

*

1 Heat collection

Solar thermal panels on roof capture heat from the Sun and transfer it to a heat exchanger

*

2 Substation

Heat is stored for short term usage in a heat exchanger in local substation

*

3 Thermal boreholes

Surplus heat is stored in 12 thermal boreholes of 140mm diameter under the park during summer for winter usage

*

4 District heating loop

Surplus heat is distributed from storage to community centre for space heating and hot water usage in winter

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DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES The nature of the individual buildings which are mainly naturally ventilated and top-lit mean that the requirements for plant space is very little. Majority of the spaces only require a small MVHR system which is placed in a central location of each building to minimise ductwork throughout the space.

The exposed internal structures allow for the ductwork and electrical fixings to run through the cellular beams into the required activity space.

Key Plant room MVHR unit Ventilation exhaust path Ventilation supply path Water path

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Exposed exhaust ductwork

Exposed supply ductwork

Exposed primary cellular beams

Plant room on first floor

Barista’s view of cafe space

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06 Regulations The Equality Debate

PART B COMPLIANCE Fire Safety

Part B1 - Means of Warning and Escape All the individual buildings are fitted with automatic fire detectors which produce an alarm when fire or smoke is detected. The alarm will produce a visual and audio signal when triggered to alert fully able as well as visually impaired users. x

x

Owen Street

A single escape route in each building is sufficient as all internal areas within each building have a maximum distance of 18m. All exit routes are a minimum of 1500mm wide with a 1000mm opening. Artificial lighting will automatically be switched on to highlight exit routes should an emergency take place.

x

x

x

x

x

x x

Based on the regulations, any building above 11m would have to have more than a single escape stair. The tower (25m) which houses the top of the slide and the playworker observation room is an exception as the tower is an external structure with a maximum occupancy of 6 people at a time.

x x

x

Part B2 - Internal Fire Spread (Lining)

Part B3 - Internal Fire Spread (Structure) The office building which has the highest occupancy and movement on a daily basis (highest potential of a fire risk) is structurally made of concrete - making it naturally fire resistant.

x x x

t Kilburn Stree

The internal partitions within the individual buildings are either made of concrete or a Metsec stud and track system which both have an approved BRE and 90 min fire rating.

For the steel framed buildings, a fire retardant coating will be applied to the steel columns and beams to slow down the rate of potential combustion. The ground floor and intermediate floors are primarily made of concrete which aid in minimising the spread of a fire.

x

x x

x x

x

x

x

x

Part B4 - External Fire Spread

Eas ton Roa d

All buildings on site are located at least 5m away from each other and neighbouring buildings to minimise any potential spread.

Part B5 - Access and Facilities for Fire Service Fire vehicles can access the individual buildings on site from multiple points of entry via Easton Road, Kilburn Street or Owen Street - depending on the location of the fire.

Key

Primary fire escape path Secondary fire escape path

x x

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120m fire rating wall 60m fire rating wall

Primary exit node Secondary exit node

Fire core

PART M COMPLIANCE Access and Use of Buildings

Owen Street

Keeping in line with one of the main reasons for the redevelopment of this community centre; being that the old building lacked a sense of inclusiveness and had major accessibility issues throughout the scheme - the new proposal is designed to allow disabled and able members of the community to experience the scheme equally as a whole.

As such, 95% of public activity spaces are placed on the ground floor which is directly accessible via a levelled surface from Kilburn Street or Owen Street excluding the one small multipurpose hall on the first floor which is directly accessible via a lift.

Almost all the buildings are accessible directly off one of the main vehicular roads which allow for an easy and quick access into each individual building. Disabled parking has also been allocated at the forefront of the site on Kilburn Street.

t Kilburn Stree

In terms of spaces which are physically inaccessible by disabled people include the seated outdoor theatre steps above the concrete offices. Accessible wheelchair spaces are therefore provided at the front of the building, adjacent to these steps.

No lift access is provided to the first floor above the cafe or the workshops as these spaces are purely used as plant and storage spaces.

An unobstructed space of 300mm is left on the pull side of every door between the leading edge and the return wall to allow for sufficient space to open the door by all users. Every individual building has been designed to include the necessary sanitary provisions required; i.e. disabled WCs according to the Approved Document M and BS6465.

Eas ton Roa d

Path-finding within the scheme is relatively straightforward as all main entrances have a reception which looks onto the urban square, fully equipped with admin staff to help at any point. All entrances have also been clearly marked with large signs and contrasting orange door frames to help visually impaired users.

Key Disabled parking Accessible WC Accessible wheelchair spaces Lift

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PART L COMPLIANCE Conservation of Fuel and Power

Even though the scheme is spread out over a rather large site with numerous individual buildings, the demand for energy will remain relatively low. The main uses of energy within the building will come mainly from the underfloor heating as well as the lighting and additional electrical appliances used in the workshops.

The solar thermal panels which are South facing for maximum solar gains as well as the inter seasonal thermal borehole storage points within the park will help reduce the overall need for non renewable energy sources.

Energy efficient lighting has been chosen to be used throughout the building to help minimise demand and increase efficiency.

Rainwater collection and grey water harvesting help in minimising the overall demand for water within the scheme.

The plant rooms have been positioned directly above or next to the required spaces to be ventilated to minimise ductwork and heat loss through an extensive network of pipes.

Heat recovered through the MVHR system from the kitchen, offices and workshops will be redistributed respectively through the individual circulation and activity spaces.

Key Inter seasonal thermal borehole storage Fire core

87

CONSTRUCTION DESIGN MANAGEMENT Safety Management

BEFORE CONSTRUCTION General site risk A CDM Manager will be appointed by the lead contractor to assess a full list of potential risks and advise the team of consultants and workers on the appropriate measures to be taken during construction.

Site hoarding Hoarding will be established around the full extents of the site to prevent any member of the public from entering the construction site and in ensuring a safe working environment. A site cabin will also be temporarily installed for consultants to use.

Site management An appropriate fire strategy will be agreed with the local fire department and briefed about to the entire construction and consultant crew on site. Consultants and contractors will be briefed on the suitable working hours for their individual works to be carried out - to avoid any potential noise disturbances to the public, as the site is located in a residential area.

The overall construction plan which includes off site welding and on site fixing will be discussed and finalised before work begins on site to avoid any foreseeable risks.

On site demolition A full survey will be required to identify any potential risks on site which include current state of soil and existing foundations to avoid any future issues.

DURING CONSTRUCTION Material delivery Materials will be delivered via the service entrance on Owen Street into Owen Square Park. The large site area will allow for the delivery trucks to pull into the site without causing major disruptions to local traffic.

Workers’ safety All workers and consultants on site will be required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all points of time during construction.

Workers will be trained and briefed on the regular health and safety protocols to avoid any risk.

Key Site hoarding Material deliveries Cyclists diverted route into Easton

88

07 Future The Dream

WAIT, WHAT’S NEXT?!

Traditionally, buildings are conceived with an end - they live the brief they are set to live for a given number of years and then the process of redesigning begins again; with a new client and a new brief. If there is one thing that 2020 as a year has taught us - it is that nothing is predictable.

So the questions develops; how do we as designers imagine and build for the unknown?

For me personally, the Easton Circle was always about designing a framework of a structure in which Easton as a community would populate and make their own. The real challenge for this project was about representing and allowing the existing spirit of Easton to shine through. So for this life, I fulfilled their current requirements for a larger organisation base and a social circle - but the beauty of this scheme is in the unknown - the ‘backbone’ structure which sits on the 5m x 5m grid offers endless possibilities for the community to experiment with in the future.

100s of workshops for Bristolians to gather at? A huge cycle track for BMX competitions? A high rise adventure park?

89

Bird watching club Sports club E-sports club Jewellery workshop

Town Hall

Glass blowing studio Yoga studio Book club Recording studio Auto garage Model workshop Board game club Communal kitchen

Karate club Knitting studio Magic school Origami studio

Music studio Dance studio Drama studio Communal kitchen Coffee roasting kitchen Writing studio Illustration studio Wood carving studio Photography studio Herb greenhouse Pottery studio Zumba studio

Easton Circle 2070

90

I for one wish that after 50 years or so, when the infills within the scheme are taken down and the ‘backbone’ structure of the scheme still sits vibrant and strong - I imagine an adventure park like no other.

Children are allowed to climb and scale the large tower with slides leading off to all parts of Easton. The concrete starts to wear and the generations which grew up in the Easton Circle are able to bring their kids and their grandkids to the park to play and build their wildest dreams.

‘‘

If you want to be creative, stay in part a child, with the creativity and invention that characterizes children before they are deformed by adult society -

Jean Piaget Psychologist

‘‘

Natural deficit disorder is a term which explains the growing separation between children and the natural elements of our environment -

Richard Louv Author and child advocate ‘Last Child in the Woods’

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‘Backbone’ structure forms framework for huge adventure playground Paper and pen montage

92

DESIGN DIARY Sweta Sanker

08 Process The Chaos

LET’S REVIEW Key Stress level Confidence level Activity level Flying home

Tectonic Review

Final Report

ing be of ort mf Co me ho

Final Review

Interim 1

Interim 2

01

93

02

03

04

05

06

07

Complete Malaysian lockdown and quarantine

08

09

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Week

Therefore, a large portion of the first few weeks were spent purely sketching different variations of how this scheme could look like (55 variations to be exact).

After the first interim, a decision was made to design a series of individual buildings rather than one commercial, utilitarian building. This approach worked for most of the aspects as it created a lot of positive impact spaces between these individual buildings - creating informal meeting pockets for the community.

After the second interim however, I realised that I needed to take a step back from the scattered approach. It still worked as an idea for the individual buildings but it had to be done in a more rational and restrained manner. A decision was then made to pull all the workshops and activity spaces together with bits of landscape within the square.

This finally seems to be working

One of the main challenges of this brief was the sheer mass and flexibility that the site provided. It was the perfect platform for endless possibilities - it had a South facing main road, with a small slip road on the North of the site for services and no immediate restrictions in terms of the immediate built context.

*

The key to the scheme was in the landscape. The Easton Circle is about so much more than just an ordinary community centre. It is about pockets of surprises, chance meetings, interactions, fun and excitement. Once my tutors all individually pointed that out, it was evident that I had created a scheme which complimented every element within this document - and all it needed now was the fun factor to be heightened up to another level.

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A JOURNEY (Like no other)

Trying to establish a relationship between the harsh, urban edge of Kilburn Street and the fluidity of Owen Square Park

The initial idea and intent of the overall scheme was well received.

The critics loved the essence of the community and how the fun factor could kick in eventually.

The Initial Move

They did however feel that the building had to be grounded a lot more - in terms of scale and body.

Feedback

Week

It Begins

Interim 1

01

03

The idea that a concrete building which picks up on the existing landscape will help ground the entire scheme

The idea that a tall element such as a tower can help bring the community in

But where should it be?

How do you create a proposal that responds to an urban edge on one side and a natural landscape on the other?

Am I representing the vibrant community that is Easton?

The idea to create an open square which encourages interactions

The Partii Admitting that the partii diagram just did not feel right - I knew what I wanted my building to feel and look like in 3D but it was the actual plan which I just could not come to terms with

Nah....

It’s not right...

Not feeling it...

95

Back to the drawing board

Life

Week

This crit took place on one of the most stressful and mentally exhausting days I have ever experienced at university. COVID - 19 had started to spread back home and just like every other family who was separated from their loved ones - I started receiving multiple phone calls, urging me to come home before things got worse.

Where is the edge?

Feedback

Week

Week

Interim 2

COVID - 19

06

Online tutorials?

Looking back, it was probably one of the best crits I could have ever received at that point in time as it made me think about the actual essence of what I was trying to do - I wanted it to be loose and playful but in reality, like everything in life you need some form of a boundary.

Back home?

The idea to scatter the workshops around the site to create a loose boundary around the adventure park

Back to the PA RTII?

The decision to not use stack ventilation in the tower as it would need to be unnecessarily insulated

In terms of the actual crit, the scheme received quite conflicting feedback. The ambition and graphical style of the scheme were hugely praised but the absence of an ‘edge’ to the scheme was heavily criticised. A suggestion was made to experiment with collecting the workshops together to form a continuous streetscape from the existing Owen Street.

07

Models The models which were used for various material studies were highly praised and I was encouraged to develop a series of models leading up to the final crit

Confusion Week 8 was the week of panic and confusion like I had never experienced before. People were starting to fly home and the university had just announced that it was closing campus and moving everything online. We were told to clear studio and take back any models we wanted to and I was told to pack up my entire room in 2 days and fly back home immediately before the borders closed.

The saddest thing about the whole situation was that we did not get a proper goodbye. I am still immensely grateful that I had the opportunity to fly home and be quarantined with my family in the knick of time but I must admit that for the first 2 weeks of lockdown, I felt as if some of the best months of my university had been taken away. I still am very positive that we will have a graduation and that I will get to see my friends who are all over the world. Might take a while, but I am sure we will get there!

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Cold

Insulated

The idea to incorporate the design of the concrete steps on the office building to work with the environmental strategy of using water tanks to store water for grey water harvesting This involved drawing details and researching permeable pavements and swails to a greater level of detail

The Finer Details

In my second landscape tutorial, the ideas around a public square started to manifest as I began to breakdown and really understand the need of this entire brief. What was my scheme going to do differently for this community when compared to what they already have?

The scheme was well received at my first virtual review. The critics complimented the approach and nature of my narrative.

An extremely important suggestion was made was with regards to the element of structural simplicity. I was challenged to come up with a construction and structural strategy which could potentially be fully constructed by the existing community of Easton - a nudge towards using the grid I had already set up to a greater extent like Shigeru Ben and his homeless shelters.

The Larger Picture

The backbone of the scheme is there but it needs a layer of refinement and rationality to make it come alive The decision to include varying roofscapes according to the grid

Feedback

Week

Week

Quarantine

Tectonic Review

08

10

The idea to tighten up the scheme and create a secured adventure park on the East of the site

The realisation that the base of the tower was becoming too dominant The decision to keep the tower as slim and isolated as possible to mimic a child’s set of building blocks

Roofscape The idea to detail and design a giant periscope in the nursery for kids to experience their surrounding roofscapes and tree canopies

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‘‘

I think you have pretty much nailed the principle plan now...

Awesome job Tutor A Long Journey After 10 weeks, I finally felt like I had arrived at the right partii diagram. It was a 70 day journey to get there but the spaces finally worked, the idea was playful but most of all it was engaging and alive in terms of the community it could potentially nourish.

This was definitely the longest I have ever designed without having a clear plan in mind (literally).

Needless to say, it was definitely a very different challenge when compared to any other brief I have worked on before but I am extremely happy with the final outcome.

The scheme was relatively well received from a tectonic, environmental and structural point of view. However, it was pointed out that the landscaping strategy was somewhat underwhelming as it had a huge potential to be amazing.

Somewhere along the way, the fun and experimental factor which brought the entire adventure park and theatre square to life was lost.

I was therefore challenged to take this a step further over the next two weeks leading up to the final submission to push myself back to my initial mad sketches.

Overall, I am really pleased with how the scheme has turned out. Given the unfavourable circumstances of losing access to the modelling workshop as well as live crits and tutorials, part of me thinks that this scheme has actually benefited from these shortcomings. It challenged me to think beyond the norm - using household materials as modelling tools and gaining inspiration from my natural surroundings.

Feedback

Week

Week

Final Review

Final Report

16

19

?!

From week 1 to week 19, the sketching never stopped

The decision to ensure EVERY drawing shows how a user occupies the space and how children especially are intrigued

By the looks of my design diary, this project consists of 50% sketches and 50% to do lists

One last push

What’s next?

One last ounce of fun The decision to revisit the landscaping of the adventure park and the theatre square to add more details and excitement to the scheme

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THE CHALLENGE

‘‘

From the outset, I knew that this brief would be extremely challenging in a very different manner when compared to previous projects. From the very first site visit which allowed me have some tea and Jaffa Cakes with the lovely people who run Up Our Street to the random interactions with the children at the Felix Road Adventure Playground, it was already a given that one of the main challenges of this brief would be to capture and represent the eclectic community that is Easton into a singular proposal.

Trust me - your challenge with this brief is going to be about bringing the fun factor Tutor

In the first few weeks of this project, I remember having a frank conversation with my tutor about how I did not want to fall into a rut of designing a scheme which was essentially an extruded form of my adjacencies diagram. Rest assured, it was made evident that although the placement of the spaces was clear and pragmatic from an early stage, the real challenge of the brief would be about creating an environment which not only supported the existing community but also harnessed playfulness and creativity.

F . A . T Architecture

THINKING OUTSIDE One of the main things I wanted to experiment with on this project was the general notions of ‘basic’ design. I wanted my scheme to challenge the norm and intrigue the general public. Hence, I often found myself asking questions like; ‘Why must the drainage system of the entire scheme be concealed? Why can’t this important feature be showcased and celebrated by the local community? After all, one of the greatest joys in life is listening to water trickle down from above. This made me think of each and every detail at hand and how a child or an elderly person might use a space - often resulting in endless sketches which were then refined and rationalised.

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T H E B O X

Studio Weave One of my all time favourite design studios

Carl Turner Architects

FINDING MY STYLE One of the most important things I have learnt about myself throughout this project is with regards to the type of architecture I am interested in pursuing in the future. After 4 amazing years of learning and building on my existing knowledge of design at Bath as well as 2 placements in London, I can finally say that I am certain of the kind of design I want to create in the real world - a kind which involves happiness, joy, colour and community (with a bit of experimentalism).

Architecture to me is about user experience and how he no matter how small or old he is, or what gender or race he is - is able to observe and appreciate your design from a layperson’s perspective. Design is not something that should only be understood by professionals who have thought about it - it should challenge the norm and make you appreciate it.

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FOR The person that lives next door

L A N O S R E P NOTE I was fortunate enough to be raised in a community that valued the importance of public spaces and healthy relationships within a given neighbourhood.

For as long as I can remember, the majority of my childhood was either spent playing tag in the playground with my neighbours or running up and down between houses with a bunch of baking equipment or spare tools to help fix somebody’s bike.

For me personally, I have always loved helping people out. More often than not, we, as individuals tend to specialise in one field of an activity - for example, some people are natural bakers and others are not.

The beauty of being in a community which values these skills is that you can continue doing what you love whilst also lending a helping hand to somebody else who may need it.

There are countless numbers of communities in all parts of the world which share a similar value - be it my community in Kuala Lumpur or Easton’s community in Bristol. I can only hope that every child has the opportunity to grow up in an environment like I did - encouraging social interactions and responsibility.

FOREWORD

A PLEA FOR THE FUTURE To every grey cloud, there is a silver lining. If there is one thing COVID-19 has shown us, it is that each and every one of us depend on our communities to help us in our most desperate times of need.

From witnessing random acts of kindness in so many different neighbourhoods across the world - be it young families in Southwark offering to shop for their elderly neighbours or landlords in Bath making Sunday Roast for their student tenants who were unable to go home - I love the fact that people are finally reaching out to their neighbours and embracing the spirit of community. Let this project be a plea to local communities all over the nation to rethink the ways in which we can maintain a harmonious exchange of skills and interactions between communities.

‘‘

I know you may not feel like it, but you are indeed, the chosen class for such a time as this. You’re also a united class, the pandemic class, that has the entire world striving to graduate with you.

Oprah Winfrey To the class of 2020

Hey! Thank you Architecture has always been an iterative process for me. You almost never get it right on your first time but what makes it better is having a fresh set of eyes on it - be it from an expert or a member of your family!

A special thank you to my tutor, Nigel Bedford for constantly supporting my whimsical ideas and encouraging me to pursue them in the wildest of forms. This has truly been one of my absolute favourite projects to work on as it allowed me to immerse myself into the playfulness of it and that is solely thanks to your encouragement.

Thank you to Matthew, Ian, Paul, John and Dima for their constant support and guidance throughout the course of this challenging project.

Words cannot express my gratitude for all you have done which include the rescheduling of tutorials due to time zones and putting up with my constant emails.

A special mention as well to George Lovesmith for introducing Brendan and Eddie and the rest of the team at Up Our Street, Easton Community Centre and Felix Road Adventure Playground. Without them and their kind introduction to the community of Easton, this project would not have been possible, let alone as grounded as it turned out to be.

Lastly, to my family. Thank you for being my constant pillar of support and laughter throughout this challenging time - from ensuring I have everything I could possibly need to make a killer project to making sure I take breaks between these long days. Without you, I would not have completed this project on such a high.

And of course, thank you, Bath.

You’re welcome

:( :(

THANK YOU

References 1

Up Our Street, 2017. ‘Understanding wellbeing through community research in Easton and Lawrence Hill’ [Online]. Bristol: Up Our Street. Available from: https://upourstreet.org.uk/sites/default/files/project/files/Understanding%20 wellbeing%20through%20community%20research%20in%20Easton%20 and%20Lawrence%20Hill%20-%20March%202017%20%28web%29.pdf

2

Pipe, E., 2019. ‘It’s a hub for absolutely everyone in the community’ [Online]. Bristol: Bristol 24/7. Available from: https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/ its-a-hub-for-absolutely-everyone-in-the-community/

Bibliography

REFERENCES

1

Awan, N., Schneider, T. & Till, J., 2013. Spatial Agency & Other Ways of Doing Architecture. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

2

Bristol City Council, 2019. Easton Statistical Ward Profile 2019. Bristol: Bristol City Council.

3

Heseltine, P. & Holborn, J., 1987. Playgrounds : the planning, design and construction of play environments. London: Mitchell.

4

Jones, S., 2019. Easton: Bristol’s Coolest Neighbourhood [Online]. London: Time Out. Available from: https://www.timeout.com/bristol/things-to-do/easton-bristolguideo

5

Koolhaas, R. and Mau, B., 1995. Small, medium, large, extra-large : Office for Metropolitan Architecture. New York: Monacelli.

6

Maggs, N., 2019. Why Time Out was right about coolest places in the world Easton [Online]. Bristol: BristolLive. Available from: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/ bristol-news/time-out-right-coolest-place-3343608

7

Pipe, E., 2019. ‘It’s a hub for absolutely everyone in the community’ [Online]. Bristol: Bristol 24/7. Available from: https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/ its-a-hub-for-absolutely-everyone-in-the-community/

THANK YOU! SEE YOU SOON! OPEN : 9 -5 everyday THE EASTON CIRCLE COMMUNITY CENTRE