2016 a textile centre by #MUI Medellín Urban Innovation

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

Galashiels is the main commercial centre in the Scottish borders. The reopening of the railway station has provided the town with new development opportunities coming from the increased accessibility. However, several issues have been found in the studied area. For one, visitors may find the entrance area not welcoming enough after they get off the train. Secondly, some of the main streets in the town centre are less activated due to high levels of vacant properties. It is found that the town centre does not have well designed public spaces for public assembly, except for Gala and Victoria Parks and it lacks a strong physical and ´mental connection and with the Borders College. Therefore, the aim of the project is to revitalise the town centre area by enhancing both physical and virtual connections within Galashiels. Since the town has a history in the textile industry, this can become a driver of the regeneration proposal in order to strengthen the local identity. To achieve this, four aspects are taken into account:

Other Resilient Borders 2016 Projects + Textile Centre + Textile Community Centre + Mobile Kids + Borders Design Incubator + Wellbeing Centre and Market + A Centre for Visual Landscape + Borders Water + Skills Traditional + Open Textile Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture M.Sc. Advanced Sustainable Design 2016

• Enhancing connections by opening alley ways and new construction of textile-related buildings; • Regeneration through retail; • Better public space for social cohesion; • Energy efficiency in the proposed buildings.

The location of our area of intervention is based on suggestions from community members during the workshop. These are the town gate and the historic market square site, including the main commercial streets. Thus, the proposed intervention site has the potential to become a revitalised and active town centre. Two sites were selected for this regeneration proposal, both of which will hold textile industry development. One will be used for exhibition and educational activities, and the other will have experience workshops and research labs, so that visitors and apprentices can engage directly with the textile manufacturing process. Commercial activity through the existing urban fabric will connect both components of the proposal, in tandem letting people move from the railway station to the town centre.

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

The main idea of this project is to re-develop the central area of Galashiels into a commercial centre. Our urban proposal ensures Galashiels has a better foundation for further development by re-opening small alleyways in the city. We then also chose two sites which are located in important places among the city as leverage for the whole development plan, namely the area near the interchange at the gate of Galashiels and the area right behind market square. The two buildings on these two sites will provide social and environmental benefits for their surroundings. Site A is located inside the gate area, taking advantage of a building site which will soon be demolished, as well as the public space adjacent to it. Site A will actively lead people towards the town centre and will allow users to get a first-hand experience of the textile industry. Site B is located in the centre of the commercial area in Galashiels. Market Square and the building behind it will be reconstructed to become an iconic building in the town centre, which will provide exhibition spaces and workshops for textile-related activities. Proposed Strategies

Connection Increases in commercial activity by reopening alleyways will incentivise economic development, as well as provide opportunities for local entrepreneurs and students interested the textile industry. Retailers To enhance of main retailers on the main street. These businesses, coupled with improved pedestrian accessibility through alleyways, will provide the town with more opportunities in terms of commercial development. Public Space To provide better public spaces where residents, students and visitors can interact. The Market Square will provide more space for social activities, and open alleyways will connect local businesses. Energy & Buildings The use of biomass as the main energy source, the use of efficient ventilation and lighting systems, waste management, waste heat recovery are some of the strategies we are interested in exploring..

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

Site A: Textile Centre

The new gate area provides more commercial opportunities and more chances for social activities.

The square connects the store fronts, the river platform, the experience centre and the railway station.

Extend the existing commercial area towards the railway station.

Visitors from the railway station usually reach the town by passing through a small existing green space.

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

Site B: Experience Centre

Image Left: Existing building and Market Square. Image right: Form restricted by the surrounding urban context.

Image Left: Building form further developed by the original building. Expanded public space. Image right: Floor height for visual connection. Receased ground floor.

Image Left: Atrium provides lighting and ventilation for interior. Image right: Pedestrian and different user type flows.

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

Textile Centre Energy Proposition

Natural Ventilation & Mechanical Ventilation We propose a relatively open space and skyroof to boost natural ventilation. Indoor air quality and comfort is important in the interior spaces. Skyroof & Rainwater Collector The toping light vaults are able to create even gradient light transitions, to avoid glare. For workshops, enough lighting will be required for the diverse activities that will he held.

Experience Centre Energy Proposition

Atrium / Skylight The skylight provides natural daylighting, and the atrium hels to bring light into the building. Louvers on the roof are adjustable to prevent direct sunlight and overheating. Biomass Manufacturing of textiles yields high amounts of waste material, which can be burned to produce energy. The energy generated from biomass will satisfy energy needs for the building. Air to air Heat Exchanger This is used to transfer the heat from exhaust air to incoming external air, which prevents energy waste in the ventilation process â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thus increasing energy efficiency.

Earth Heat Exchanger As the temperature bellow ground is constant, it can provide year-round space conditioning. Incoming air can be pre-heated in winter or pre-cooled in summer.

Permeable Paving When drainage systems are overloaded, permeable paving can help to manage the rainwater runoff.

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

Experience Centre Prototype Low CO2 Concrete (The production of cement is responsible for as much as 5% of the total CO2 emited each year.) • Achieving a sense of heaviness and thickness • Durability and service life • Thermal mass • Various alternative concrete derived material that are generated from the by-product of the use of load-bearing concrete. Timber-Frame Walls • Natural building material • Renewable • Low embodied energy (local resource) • Can be prefabricated In summer: classrooms and ground floor will be naturally ventilated, thermal mass can slow down the heat flow for passive cooling, ventilation louvres on rooftop for stack ventilation.

In winter: openings will be closed to reduce heat loss, thermal mass can store heat for passive heating, heat recogery system with efficiency rate of 89%.

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

Flexibility and Open Plan Column-beam structure used for transfering loads. No load bearing interior walls. Flexible interior layout plan.

Green Carpet Roof terrace for views. Green wall on the south east facade as thermal insulation. Extensive plants improve air quality

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

Textile Centre Prototype The annual average rainfall in Galashiels is approximately 808mm. Even in winter it rains regularly. Collecting the water to use for bathroom flushing can make the building partly self sufficient in terms of water use. Rainwater harvesting on roof: Collecting 720,256L of rainwater annually, with 662m2 of roof area can meet 89% of the demand of toilet flushing in the entire building. Rainwater harvesting on ground: Collecting 1,275,136L of annual rainfall with 1172mw of green square area, which can meet 94% of the deman of main activities in laboratories, including the operation of equipment like the X-ray (3.4gpm), the main work flow of the cooling tower (2.4gpm), and the processes like sterilisation (1-3gpm).

The Resilient Textile Borders Centre Project Yirun Jin + Jing Li

+ Programme and Place + Prospectus + Prototype

As par to fthe material composition of the roof, an ETFE membrane is used for the atrium in order to supply the demand of daylight in the building. This material has a high transmittance rate (0.82) and an acceptable U-value. The south facade is equipped with shading devices after calculating the altitude of the sun in different moments of the year. All daylight conditions were simulated using IES software. It was concluded that by adding a daylight sensor, the building could become more efficient. Artificial lighting will only be turned on when lux value is less than 500 for laboratories and 700 for workshops.