Year 3 – Unit 1: Stitch

Project details

Programme

Unit MEng

Tutors: Nick Elias, Agnieszka Glowacka, Anderson Inge, Vasiliki Kourgiozou.

In the context of an environment and climate emergency how can growth be sustainable? The government identifies the Oxford-Milton Keynes-Cambridge corridor as a significant opportunity for transformational growth, envisaging a single, knowledge intensive cluster that competes on the global stage, whilst protecting the area’s high quality environment. Armed with moral cues and an environmentalist agenda, students investigated two potential sites along the Arc: Stewartby and its decommissioned brickworks, and the Cranfield University site and airfield.

Unit 1 designed ‘knowledge centres’ as focal points for each site, with an infrastructural, domestic or social focus. The projects stand as adaptable ‘stitches’ connecting old with new, nature with man made structures, programmes with agendas. Each student has developed their knowledge centre with both pragmatic and ambitious intent. Students have drawn on previous conclusions to deliver light touch, environmentally sensitive, sophisticated proposals that go beyond conventional solutions. Scale drawings, models and fragments build towards a developed programme and building response that stitches together architecture, structure and environmental services, integrating these on site.

The aim of Unit 1 was for students to finish the year as collaborative, responsible and well-informed designers who have, through their proposal, explored and manifested a personal yet credible understanding of sustainable growth.

Group Students

Kaia Wells, Y3, 'Intergenerational Care Home and Housing Scheme'

Built around a compressed earth brick workshop and knowledge centre. Exploratory sectional model and collage of the housing part of the project.

Kaia Wells, Y3, 'Intergenerational Care Home and Housing Scheme'

Time-based section showing the evolution of the knowledge centre brief on the site.
Kaia Wells, Y3, 'Intergenerational Care Home and Housing Scheme'

Exploratory models: brick wall panel design explored in terms of use and bonding pattern.
Kaia Wells, Y3, 'Intergenerational Care Home and Housing Scheme'

Axonometric: young, old, locals and newcomers build their homes together on Stewartby Lake.
Kaia Wells, Y3, 'Intergenerational Care Home and Housing Scheme'

Axonometric: new resident's manual showing how to construct an individual residential unit.

Federico Chiavegati, Y3, 'Drone Research and Development Knowledge Centre'

Environmental strategy overview showing interconnected systems for reducing energy consumption across the different spaces and uses.

Kasikit Dumnoenchanvanit, Y3, 'Southern Clay Community Spa'

Interior perspective: a view into the main communal space of the clay spa. Post-tensioned brick arches create a rich and complex roof over the clay bathing area.
Federico Chiavegati, Y3, 'Drone Research Centre'

Interior perspective: a view from the basement teaching space into the drone testing storm chamber above.
Federico Chiavegati, Y3, 'Drone Research Centre'

Exploratory concept section: storm chamber becomes the focus of visitors and students, allowing it to be experienced at multiple levels.
Simran Khurana, Y3, 'Secular Gurdwara'

Exploratory concept section: key spaces in this vegan food knowledge and community centre are explored through this emotive sketch section.
Simran Khurana, Y3, 'Secular Gurdwara'

Sketch of key communal spaces, exploring views from the lake and ideas of embedding furniture into the masonry walls.
Luke Duncan, Y3, 'Adaptive Reuse'

Sketch model of possible method of opening up existing kiln brick arches to create new community workshops.

Jahnina Queddeng, Y3, 'Stewartby Knowledge and Community Centre'

South elevation: a proposal imagining a new social fulcrum to rebuild the village spirit in Stewartby, where food is used as a universal language.

Olivia (Phoeby) Narenthiran, Y3, 'Aquaponic Knowledge Centre'

Sectional isometric: cutaway into the cascading aquaponics vertical farm as part of a larger research knowledge centre, all enclosed in ETFE.

Jahnina Queddeng, Y3, 'Stewartby Knowledge and Community Centre'

Redefining the village street party: exploration into better waste management, through reclaimed bricks, hemp panels and potato peel insulation.
Olivia (Phoeby) Narenthiran, Y3, 'Aquaponic Knowledge Centre'

The cyclic system: the internal works of the aquaponic knowledge centre, with water, sunlight and soil.
Cecilia Cappellini, 'Local Tea Making and Tasting Knowledge Centre'

Convivial kitchen and banquet room pod: exploded axonometric showing the material layers.
Cecilia Cappellini, Y3, 'Local Tea Making and Tasting Knowledge Centre'

Exploded isometric showing the construction strategy.
Clement Lefebure, Y3, 'Stewartby Energy Knowledge Centre and Long Stay Hotel'

From reliance to resilience: concept model of waste to energy building element.
Clement Lefebure, Y3, 'Stewartby Energy Knowledge Centre and Long Stay Hotel'

Long section through chimney and new waste collection tanks.
Yunxian (Jessie) Zhu, Y3, 'Mushroom and Mycelium Manor'

Exploration of different patterns of circulation through the building.
Xi Shen, Y3, 'Urban Farming Knowledge Centre'

Concept sketch of vertical farm.
Lan Wang, Y3, 'Bee and Honey Knowledge Centre'

A section through the building which nurtures both bees and humans.
Michael Fordham, Y3, 'Community Bridge'

Concept sketch of proposal for community centre that brings together the university and village communities currently divided by the airfield.