Unit H - You Are Here (2023-2024)
Unit H explores the mechanisms and dynamics of gathering people in the built environment. Places of conflict and resolution, where ideas are tested, nurtured and negotiated, embraced and displaced. A tangled dialogue that architects can play a part in designing and bringing to life! We specialise in creating new social and recreational architectural typologies designed to showcase how we may reinvigorate underused spaces to become animated centres that map a city’s present-day and future urbanism.
We are interested in proposals of new spatially engaging architecture that generates ephemeral activity. We do this by looking closely at the design of public events and moments in the story of the city and hypothesise through ever-evolving drawings, models and collages how these events, by periodic reinforcement or infrastructural permanence, can influence a space to achieve its own transient identity, how they can contribute to creating the public’s subconscious image of the place, and steer positive generational change. This year's briefs explored speculative-arium designs and micro-worlds, utilising the architectural principles of a ‘social condenser’.
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Felicity Barbur, Gareth Marriott, Sonia Tong ( Tech)
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Yr2 - Oliver Coel, Lise Haga, Ka Wan Li, Victoria Nistov, Tommy Norriss, Ellen Phillips, Charlotte Smith, Eman Suleman, Kaya Yavuzer, Sofie Ylvisaker, Leone Zeekeh. Yr3 - Anastasiia Dubrovskaia, Chiara Aquilani, Aidan Gibb, Rory Gilchrist, Alex Greenall, Isabella Darcie Newey, Georgi Yankov, Yuen Yi Moly Yau.
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It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
Bloomarium
Victoria Nistov
With this year’s Unit H brief, the focus was on hyper-enthusiasts and their specific passion. Lyra is a 21-year-old woman obsessed with beekeeping and the well-being of honeybees. However, she lives in the city of Birmingham where traditional beekeeping is not possible. Therefore, she wants to share her passion for Urban Beekeeping with her city, specifically the canal boat users travelling through Birmingham. Further, the brief calls for the design of a social space located along the Old Main Line of the canal network in Birmingham. The Bloomarium is designed as a community garden that isn’t limited by space or restricted to only one residential complex to care for the garden beds. At the Bloomarium any surrounding communities and other visitors are welcome to learn the practice and importance of gardening, with the collaboration and help from the canal boat community to care for the garden whilst creating a social environment. When the garden beds are filled with blooming flowers, fruits and vegetables after growing and thriving at the Bloomarium, the beds are ready to be attached to canal boats and float along the canal. Making its mark on the diverse life of the canal network that connects the length and width of England. Carefully designed “Tree” structures provide some overhead cover for users and the garden beds, and users can enter the "Trees" and grab any garden tools they need to tend to the plants. A system leading from the roof of the “Trees” down to the garden beds underneath, allow for the plants to be watered with rainwater through a rain garden in the form of a biodiverse roof. With design choices such as water collection, wildlife habitats and brown roofs, the Bloomarium sustainably promotes biodiversity. Therefore, the Bloomarium will not only create a home for honeybees but also many other wildlife species living along the canal network in Birmingham.
1.20 Tree Model
1.200 Model
Communiy Garden Collage
Environmental Strategy
Harvest Festival
Nistov_Long Section
Lyra Character
Seasonal Section
Viewpoint Bloomarium
Wide Map
Puppeteering-Arium
Anastasiia Dubrovskaia
The Puppeteering-Arium, located in Birmingham's Icknield Port Loop, aims to revolutionize arts education. This theatre complex includes professional marionette/puppet theatres, a puppeteering school, a puppet cemetery, and a performance café. By connecting students with the broader Birmingham community, the Puppeteering-Arium challenges the traditional isolation of student communities from their future audiences and job markets.
The complex blends education, professional development, and community interaction. Students and professionals collaborate in an open-plan, mixed-year group workshop, ensuring a transparent and inclusive learning process. The culmination is a student-organized final-year puppet/marionette show that engages the community. The educational program of the Puppeteering-Arium encourages students to take on various roles such as promoting the school and theatres, mentoring fellow students, and apprenticing with experienced professionals. This integrated approach bridges the gap between students and the community. Key architectural features support this ethos. The puppet cemetery is a whimsical landscape feature that invites exploration and interaction with abandoned student-created puppets. It serves as a sound buffer, reduces noise pollution, and links the educational process with the community. The performance café, focusing on simple hand puppet techniques, allows students to test their in-progress skits on café visitors, creating a spontaneous and engaging learning environment. Curated window views into the workshop and advertisements for final shows enhance this connection.
The school's five-year program adopts a slow-build process, allowing the theatre to grow organically based on demand and financial situation. Inspired by urbanist Jane Jacobs, the main street accommodates trucks and large crowds, while smaller streets are for pedestrian exploration. The puppet cemetery acts as a noise buffer from ongoing construction. The architectural design uses tents to evoke a sense of fun and universality, reminiscent of circus tents. The PVC-coated polyester material ensures fire safety and excellent ventilation, with two layers for better light and moisture control. This tent structure, combined with permanent brick and glulam structures for seating and workshops, offers flexibility and durability to adapt to the evolving needs of the school.
Puppet cemetery sitting and Workshop Color Explorations_Watercolor Etude
Comunity user experiance comic_whatercolor etudes
Outside perspective view
Programatic Diagram inspired by Cedric Price
Puppet cemetery concept sketch
Puppet Cemetery Night and Day Explorations Watercolor Etude
Sectional perspective into backstage
Slow Built Diagram
Workshop and big theatre section
Workshop and entrance to big theatre_ground floor plan