Site Survey 01

The Granton Waterfront sits at the north of Edinburgh, on the shores of the Firth of Forth. It is 3 miles away from the Edinburgh city centre, with very low population density. Instead, it is covered with extensive green spaces and open spaces.

This area has rich and productive history, and has a lot of listed heritage buildings. Through back to 1898, the Madelvic Car Factory as the very first electric car factory in UK, was once the pride of Edinburgh. It was a symbol of Britain's glorious industrial period.

Although those days are long gone, people in Granton are still still hold on to this history and wish to bring the land back into the spotlight. The area is also considered by the government to have a potential for development. Soon, a new community will breathe new life into Granton.

Flat Lay Drawing

GALLERY OF THE Madelvic Factory

The Madelvic car factory is a building constructed mainly of brick walls and steelwork. The six brick walls divide the building space into three parts, the west wing, the east wing and the atrium. The west and east wings are almost identical in structure, except for one thing: the west wing has timber floor slabs and secondary beams on the first floor, which are now almost completely decayed, while the east wing has steel I-beams casted into the concrete floor slabs, which are in good condition. This is due to the fact that the east wing has been renovated.

The atrium is supported by 13 huge trusses that are elevated and have no structure in between. This part of the building was once used as a test track for cars when it was a car factory, which is why the space is so open and empty.

The atrium is the most structurally unstable space in the building; the truss is not well integrated with the roof, so most of the roof panels have fallen off. The bridge is still intact, but the rusting of the materials suggests that it is no longer usable. The only part of the atrium that remains structurally sound is the central truss. The truss stands on an I-beam that protrudes from the brick wall, thus creating an overhead structure.

Function Design

Appeal to young people

The granton waterfront is an undeveloped area, with a large number of empty fields left over from industrial factories that have been demolished and with little facilities for living and entertaining.

This is why hardly any young people live in this area. Even when they do, they usually leave early in the morning for work and return in the evening.

There is a great need to reactivate this area by inviting new people to the neighbourhood.

Gathering Place for local residents

The local residents include a number of elderly people with strong passions in life.

With their love for this area and its rich history, they have taken it upon themselves to organise many events to promote the local heritage in the madelvic room next to the madelvic car factory.

If new function needs to be injected into the madelvic factory, community space for local residents is a mandatory feature.

Recognisable historical value

Although the government are planning to develop a new residential area in the granton waterfront, it is also important that the historical value of this formerly glorious neighborhood remains known to the world.

The new madelvic building should not only provide the necessary functional facilities, but also serve as a memorial to the old granton， as well as a constant reminder of the heritage of the region.

Structure/ Material 03

Timber batten .1

Gutter .2

Timber veneer panel .3

Steel window frame .4

Timber baatten .5

Insulated Timber wall .6

Original brick wall .7

Original steel window frame .8

Insulation .9

Reconstructed timber beam .10

Insulated timber wall .11

Concrete foundation .12

Timber batten .1

Steel sheet .2

Timber beam .3

Insulated timber wall .4

Timber veneer .5

Original concrete floor slab .6

Elevator gate .7

Original steel I-beam casted into concrete floor slab .8

Steel panel .9

Concrete foundation .10

Sectional Drawings 04

Illustration Drawings 05

This project explores the innovative use of discarded cork stoppers as a sustainable building material, utilizing a familiar bar setting as the starting point. Driven by the challenges posed by limited resources and the pandemic, the project aims to repurpose waste materials into stable and versatile structures. Over time, the cork-based structures will grow and spread throughout the city, serving not only as architectural elements but also as tools for historic building restoration, furniture, and more. The concept envisions a future where collected cork stoppers are transformed into connectable 'cork bricks' and distributed as a mainstream building material, eventually becoming an integral part of the urban landscape. This project ultimately emphasizes the importance of sustainability, resourcefulness, and the power of memories in shaping our cities and communities.