Written by UWE architecture & planning student Shalom Ojo.
The Architecture Centre's Learning Manager Amy Harrison discussed the scale, budget and materials for the livebuild structure with the group, which included a requirement for this to be a zero landfill-waste project. As a result of this, the design could only use natural, reused, recycled, reclaimed or living materials. The group was told to consider how the livebuild structure will relate to its context in Queen Square, how the public will interact with and move around it, and other practical considerations such as sunlight and orientation. One of the key things the design team had reflect on was how to use the structure to get the public thinking about landscape and nature in cities, and the positive impact they can have on climate change and people's mental and physical health.
The Site
Visit
The second group designed their structure based
on a burrow. They placed the entrance of the structure at the back so that
people coming in will get to experience the structure the same way a rabbit
enters a burrow.
Introduction:
The Livebuild
On the 16 May an extra Shape My City workshop was hosted in preparation for the Festival of Nature livebuild project, celebrating 90 years of the Landscape Institute (#LI90). The session started of with the interdisciplinary design team introducing themselves, talking about their
interests and inspirations and why they were getting involved with the livebuild project. In
attendance was Sally Daniels (UWE/tangentfield), Scott Farlow (UWE/University of Gloucester), Sarah Jones-Morris (Landscape Institute South West/ Landsmith Associates), Alex Consoli and Kathleen Hartono (BuroHappold Engineers) young people from the Shape My City project, university students, and volunteer landscape architects. The focus of the evening was the design of a nature-inspired pavilion for the 2019 Festival of Nature (7-9 June). The aim of the structure is
to connect the public with the themes of nature and landscape architecture in cities.
The Architecture Centre's Learning Manager Amy Harrison discussed the scale, budget and materials for the livebuild structure with the group, which included a requirement for this to be a zero landfill-waste project. As a result of this, the design could only use natural, reused, recycled, reclaimed or living materials. The group was told to consider how the livebuild structure will relate to its context in Queen Square, how the public will interact with and move around it, and other practical considerations such as sunlight and orientation. One of the key things the design team had reflect on was how to use the structure to get the public thinking about landscape and nature in cities, and the positive impact they can have on climate change and people's mental and physical health.
The group made a short visit to the festival site at Queen
Square. Tape measures and cameras were taken to record findings made on the
site. Participants engaged in a fun exercise where they had to physically measure the size
of the space provided for the livebuild using their bodies. Through the activity, the group were able
to further their understanding of the scale of the livebuild structure.
Visiting the site also helped people understand orientation and context, and observe how the public use the green space.
Development of Design Ideas
After returning from visiting the Queen Square site, it was time to work up design ideas,
concepts and models. The group split
into 4 smaller groups and were told about some available materials that could be used for the main pavilion structure: large 4m long bamboo poles and sheets of fabric. With this in mind the groups began mocking up potential scale models of the structure designs, using wooden sticks, cardboard and some handy scale models people crafted from modelling clay!
The first group designed a triangular structure which resembled a tunnel. They designed their structure to have an entrance at the back and front. The group explained how the exterior of the structure will be decorated with living plants.
The first group designed a triangular structure which resembled a tunnel. They designed their structure to have an entrance at the back and front. The group explained how the exterior of the structure will be decorated with living plants.
The third group designed as structure inspired by a nest, with plants around the openings. The group members explained how natural
light from above was prioritised in the design of the structure.
The forth structure was influenced by bee hive design. The
group described how they designed the structure’s shape to mimic hexagonal honeycomb patterns.
Feedback
from Structural Engineers
At the beginning of the session, Amy told people
to think about the practical considerations that might affect the livebuild structure.
One of things was how the stability and safety of the structure. Luckily Alex and Kathleen, two enthusiastic structural engineers from BuroHappold, were on hand to give the groups feedback on their
ideas and models. The structural engineers were impressed by the models, but had a preference for one group one’s model as they were more confident about it's structural integrity. They explained how the
structure’s simple design made it stable and safe for the people who will interact with
it. The engineers made suggestions about how to ensure any structure of this type is safe and stable by interventions such as: cross-bracing the bamboo poles, rope-typing along the centre of the roof and anchoring to the ground using guy ropes. They also explained how forces such as wind need to be given consideration in the structure's design and orientation.
Next steps:
Using the feedback from the engineers, the core livebuild team will work up a more detailed design, site plan and and materials palette for the livebuild nature-inspired pavilion, ready for construction at the start of the Festival of Nature. on 7 June.
To find out more about the Shape My City's Green Horizon's livebuild for the Festival of Nature, visit: www.architecturecentre.org.uk/what-we-do/green-horizons-shape-my-city-livebuild.
Using the feedback from the engineers, the core livebuild team will work up a more detailed design, site plan and and materials palette for the livebuild nature-inspired pavilion, ready for construction at the start of the Festival of Nature. on 7 June.
To find out more about the Shape My City's Green Horizon's livebuild for the Festival of Nature, visit: www.architecturecentre.org.uk/what-we-do/green-horizons-shape-my-city-livebuild.
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