Professional Portfolio

PORTFOLIO THOMAS COX

CONTENTS

01

ASSEMBLING SPACE

02

DISCONNECT

03

BREAKING LINES

THOMAS COX

ABOUT ME

2

nd year architecture student at Loughborough university currently developing my understanding of the architectural process. Proficient in multiple softwares and able to produce strong graphics. I look forward to applying my current knowledge to real life projects and learning from professionals with greater experience.

CONTACT INFO Lincolnshire +44 7490 572007 TomCoxArchi@outlook.com see QR code on back cover for wider Instagram portfolio

P. 02

THOMAS COX

01

ASSEMBLING SPACE SITE LOCATION :

LAXTON, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

PROJECT SIZE :

300 SQM

PROJECT DATE : 1ST YEAR, 2023

F

or this project, we were tasked with creating a home for a craftperson that would be ideally suited to their craft. Given a choice of three sites in the small farming village of Laxton, we had to design a home and workspace complex within 300 sqm.

As first years we hadn’t experienced a project of this size yet and it was a really interesting challange. The project streched me and developed my skills in areas such as my conceptual design process. I view this project as an integral part of my architectural development.

P. 03

THOMAS COX

THE CONCEPT

F

or the concept of my design I took heavy inspiration from the creative process of my craftperson. For the character of my project, I chose a sculptor who worked with old metal machinery bringing pieces from multiple objects and assembling them into a final form. I decided to do this with biological systems taking a skeletal structure into the design with framework ribs and internal spaces as organs.

P. 05

THE DESIGN

T

he design came about by a combination of the site and the concept, I chose this site option due to it’s unique topography, with a hill on one side of the site and a ditch seperating this from the rest of the usable area. I used this aspect to create a divide in the complex between the artist’s main home and workshop while still maintaining structural connection.

P. 06

THOMAS COX

02

DISCONNECT SITE LOCATION :

LOUGHBOROUGH CAMPUS

PROJECT SIZE :

50 SQM

PROJECT DATE :

YEAR 2, 2023

T

his was a short term project at the start of second year that challanged us to quickly develop a strong design on a small scale. The brief tasked us with creating a small intervention that would sit on the roof of the Pilkington Library, the main Loughborough campus library. As a hub for students throughout the year I decided to focus my design around student mental health and battling some of the issues they face. One issue that goes somewhat un-noticed in my opinion is students’ poor relationship with social media and technology. My pavillion aims to encourage time away from screens in a tranquil spa experience to reduce stress levels and improve student mental health.

P. 07

THOMAS COX

THE CONCEPT

T

he concept behind the design was to try and link the project back to Romanesque bath houses with the idea that the older aesthetic would encourage the time away from screens. Taking inspirations from modern bath houses such as the QC Termemilano that use the classical aesthetic combined with modern spa experiences.

P. 09

THE DETAILS

T

he project’s main aim was to reduce screen time for students and in doing so reduce their time on social media. I aimed to do this by blocking any signal into the building through the wall material which would prevent any consumption of online content.

There are two seperate rooms within the project, the first (pictured above to the left) is ment for solo use and personal relaxation. The second (pictured above to the right) is meant for groups, to connect with eachother without the presence of phones and social media. Overall while the short timeframe for the project had it’s restrictions I believe the project was a success.

P. 10

THOMAS COX

03

BREAKING LINES SITE LOCATION :

HAYFIELD, PEAK DISTRICT

PROJECT SIZE :

800 SQM

PROJECT DATE :

YEAR 2 , ONGOING

T

his project saw a big step up in the size of the scheme and it’s spaces, having a total 800sqm to work with. This gave us the chance to have a more developed programme having multiple spaces working together in harmony. The brief for this project tasked us with creating a visitor’s centre on the outskirts of Hayfield, a small village in the Peak District. Our challenge was to not only make the project architecturally interesting but also economically viable as many of the current Peak District visitors centres are to be closed. The project also followed the story of the Kinder Scout trespass group, a protest of local historical significance against the private ownership of land in the Peak District. As such the theme of boundaries access and respect to the natural landscape were prevelent throughout the project.

P. 11

THE SITE

B

eing a visitors centre for the Peak District, an area of considerable natural beauty our site considerations were more vital than ever. As such our analysis stage needed to be as in depth as possible to ensure we didn’t have a negative impact on the environment of the site and it’s natural beauty.

P. 13

THOMAS COX

THE CONCEPT

H

aving been told the fascinating story of Hayfield’s involvement in the protest against the private ownership of the Peak District, I wanted to represent the journey of the tresspass group within my structure. Travelling through the building you go from thick to thin and dark to light, to represent the journey of the group.

P. 14