To Shelter, Biggar, Wiston Lodge, Wiston (UK) 2013
University of Strathclyde
Our initial Project within Year 1 of the Architectural Studies Course continues to challenge the students to consider the notion of “Shelter”. As in previous years, the brief does not prescribe what we may be sheltering from, preferring to evoke individual reactions from the students.
Our continuing discussions with the ‘client’ team at Wiston Lodge have developed a better understanding of site and materiality(,) allowing Jonny Sutherland of Wiston Lodge to identify locations within his 52 acre estate which would benefit most from our installations. Jonny also embraced the idea of using materials within their estate and as such willow, logs and rope were added to sheet timber, meaning less pre-fabrication and more ‘LiveBuild’ this time round.
100 designs were proposed with a short list of 20 moving through to our debate and selection stage which saw the first verbal presentations of the year. With the client part of the process we selected the final 12 structures to be realised and allocated construction teams who were charged with design development and delivery of their inherited design.
With a modest budget for each of the 12 shelters, the students investigated construction techniques, programme, scheduling and in some cases alternative – and perhaps better – materials as they worked through 1:5 and 1:2 prototyping over a two week period.
Any pre-ordered component parts were transported to site prior to our arrival in early November when the students spent one full day of live building ensuring all 12 shelters were completed on time and duly ‘handed over’ to our client.
Our relationship with Wiston Lodge continues to grow and the Department of Architecture Project Office is now developing proposals for SiteLabs and teaching pods within the grounds which will see Year 4 and Year 5 students delivering design development, fabrication and construction over the course of 2014.
Client: Jonny Sutherland – Wiston Lodge
Tutors: Derek Hill (Year 1 Director) Andy Campbell, Helen Campbell, Michael Dougall, Mike Grant, Richard Groves, Micheal Holliday, Graeme Nicholls and Cassie Dove (PhD Student)
Micah Barrett (Wiston Lodge Woodsman) Derek Gillan (Workshop Manager)
Students: Year 1 students of the Department of Architecture, Strathclyde.
Research Question: Holistic Construction Process / Live Build as an Educational Tool
United Kingdom, Architecture, Days, Undergraduate, Self-funded, +, Temporary, 101+, Collaboration, Curricular, Students with tutor, Strathclyde Univ.
