UG - Unit A — The Oxford School of Architecture 2023-2024

Unit A - Incremental Urban Tactics

Unit A is based on the principle that in order to create a generation of architects able to be creative and address current global crises, we teach through live, real scenarios. This is the third year Nudge Community Builders have been Unit A's live client, they are a community organisation making impactful local change in Plymouth.

This year the unit ran an engagement workshop with young people in Plymouth, redesigned an existing building for a young persons charity, explored urban visions addressing local need, and proposed innovative housing models to meet those needs. Issues that students dealt with in the final thesis project on housing ranged from homelessness to creative communities, and later year living to queer spaces.

On top of added complexity of live clients, challenging urban sites, and mix use briefs, the students gained the experience of presenting their work to the live client - developing their skills as communicators and change makers.

Charlie Palmer, Ruth Cuenca, Ruby Sleigh
Hannah Sloggett (Nudge Community Builders), Wendy Hart (Nudge Community Builders), Matt Ward (Plymouth City Council), Alan Qualtrough (Kiss & Bite Letterpress), Jonathan King (Eat Work Art)
Y3: Idil Alperen, Aleyna Kuran, Fauzah Mahri, Keziah Olu-Joseph, Robert Roth, Maria Stan, Shathursan Vamathevan, Jayden Wood, Kaitlyn Wynn, Mia Yates, Y2: Mohamad Alshair, John Francis Bayot Angcaya, Owen Clarke, Oskar Domagala, Clara Houghton, Sakina Karim, Shakila Karim Rocha, Toby Ling, Matilda Monk, Giulia Thorpe

An Abode of Artists

Fauzah Mahri

Themes: Environment, Sustainability, Social justice, Undergraduate

Can we create long-term creative communities through a live/work approach to co-housing design?

An Abode of Artists responds to the neglect faced towards creatives and aims to embrace the local; as they are shunned, their colour and liveliness disappear from the area. Stonehouse, Plymouth’s creatives are a victim of this. Previously known for their rich night life, clubs, art, and music, when faced with spiralling costs and disapproval by the more powerful bodies in the city, it has lost its spark. This issue is evident across the whole country as British night life is seen to be collapsing as well as gentrification occurring in “trendier” locations. The government's neglect, smaller venues in the country facing rising trade costs, and pressure on disposable incomes lead to a more screen-based lifestyle. The sense of community is lost.

As artists of all kinds (music, dance, fine arts, etc) have bespoke spatial needs, adaptability becomes a key concept. Each housing module has an open floor plan where the user is free to add walls and floors of their own. It features exposed services and has exposed finishes which explicitly communicates the materiality the user will work with within this frame. To make up for the relatively narrow width of the module, a double height space is designed to not only expand volume size but to open up potential design ideas for the resident. A combination of both natural and mechanical environmental strategies have been placed to ensure the comfort of the residents such as shutters on the public-facing side and communal cantilevered balconies at the rear of the project, where both offer privacy and solar shading.

“Fauzah critically explored the themes of social sustainability, and equity in urban change through her project exploring how artistic communities could maintain presence in place. This sophisticated project challenges gentrification, through adaptive housing, creative reuse, and utilising varying floor to ceiling heights to better fit the needs of creative communities while minimising costs.”

— Charlie Palmer

Anchored in Stonehouse - an intergenerational almshouse for chronically ill families

Giulia Thorpe

Themes: Social justice, Inequality, Humanitarian efforts, Innovation, Undergraduate

Life isn’t static, so why should our walls be?

Based in Stonehouse, Plymouth this project aims at imagining not only a home but a community for families affected by chronical illnesses. By doing so, “Anchored in Stonehouse” endeavours to create adaptable housing solutions that enable chronically ill individuals to age in place with dignity and support. Drawing on personal experiences, the design philosophy rejects the fixity of the traditional home. Instead, flexibility is prioritised, envisioning residences that seamlessly adjust to the evolving needs of their inhabitants: picture a home that effortlessly transitions with life’s changes, ensuring continued functionality and comfort at every stage.

Other than adaptability, creating spaces for a supportive community forms a central paradigm of the design as striking a balance between communal living and individual privacy is pivotal to ensure a harmonious carer-patient relationship within a family. Drawing inspiration from cooperative housing models, the design centres around thoughtfully crafted courtyards that serve as focal points for community engagement and well-being. These courtyards, reminiscent of historical almshouses, foster a sense of belonging and support among the residents.

Informed by Sebastian Kneipp’s philosophy of accessible medicine, this scheme aims to provide spaces for a supportive and self-sufficient community prioritising adaptability and holistic-health through communal facilities and by integrating nature through the growth, processing and tasting of medicinal herbal teas – cultivating self-sufficiency.

“Giulia demonstrated a mature approach to design that integrated complex theories on social responsibility and care.”

— Charlie Palmer

Perspective of a courtyard of informal encounter

Mothers Paradise

Matilda Monk

Themes: Environment, Sustainability, Social justice, Inequality, Innovation, Undergraduate

How can single mothers create not just a home, but a community for themselves? This was the question posed at the beginning of the project, stemming from a clear need for housing among single mothers in Stonehouse, Plymouth.

Hypothetically, this project envisions a cooperative scheme run by five single mothers. The goal is to extend their close-knit community to the rest of Stonehouse by offering an on-site childcare service managed by the mothers. This setup provides the mothers with an income stream while utilising solar power and recycled water to reduce utility bills.

The flats are designed with adaptability in mind, accommodating the evolving needs of the families and allowing the homes to grow alongside them. Two of the flats, located in a separate building, are specifically dedicated to mothers with newborns, as they require the highest degree of adaptability and privacy.

“Working with Nudge Community Builders and talking to locals deepened my understanding of Union Street and its challenges. This insight was invaluable when designing a housing model for a high street infill site, allowing me to consider the needs and wishes of the community, because after all, a building is ultimately made for them.”

— Matilda Monk