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

UNIT M - Life Between Tides

Unit M will question issues surrounding flood risk, pollution and private space along the tidal Thames this year through a programme of mapping, printing and modelling. Using this information we will then design a dual use building.

Recently, an increasingly large number of developments have gone against Baron Rogers of Riverside’s idea that Littoral London is a public space- instead creating a series of seemingly random developments which aim only to place as much profitable volume as possible on site.

Previously both the city’s sewer and main infrastructure artery, the Thames is still lined by land which is in a limbo between its former industrial self and its future use. It is these sites the unit would like to question- to raise the potential of creating a series of public, open and genuinely accessible pockets along the river which contribute culturally to the development of the city.

Unit M will be moving to West London this year, looking at an area which is traditionally market led more than considering the wider public interest. In a Thames that is bordered by 17 local authorities of different political bonds this unit looks to ask students to question not only the impacts locally, but the wider impact of a broadly coordinated Thames within London.

Louis Mayes, Mark Rist, Nicolo Spreafico
Matias Aguilar, Clara Bibko, Leon Binns, Maxim Capel, William Dobbs, Carys Esau-Buitrago, Claudia Gulliford, Tashan Halai, Ella Hannyngton, Holly Peak, Vita Puodziunaite, Lyubomir Semerdhziev, Hadley Birchall, Emily Burke, Ho Sam Hosea Cheung , James Ellwood, Ege Ersoy, Frende Hauer, Emma Lee-Mohan, David May, Alice Newman , Caragh Norris
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.

“This year Unit M looked to challenge various social and built tendencies which are becoming commonplace along the length of our waterways, incorporating a challenging conversation revolving around development, political constraints, social divides and change within our urban fabric.”

Above. Beside. Below. : Fallen Tree Complex, at Wandsworth, London

Hosea Cheung

In London, a pilot program aims to bolster the city's resilience to natural disasters by leveraging sustainability and urban innovation. With trees falling due to urban development and extreme weather, this initiative seeks to protect against such challenges. By repurposing locally sourced materials that would otherwise be incinerated, the program transforms waste into durable everyday essentials, reducing waste and fostering longevity in the urban environment. This mixed-use project emphasizes the integration of work and life, promoting a dynamic, interconnected community and a resilient urban lifestyle.

Wandsworth, historically a rural area of London, has undergone significant development. The 21st century saw a shift towards accommodating families along the waterfront and incorporating green industry initiatives. The decline of the gas industry in the late 1980s left industrial land vacant, awaiting redevelopment. With the real estate boom, high-rise developments emerged on previously contaminated land, attracting young families to the riverfront. However, this influx of high-value real estate led to gentrification, overshadowing Wandsworth’s industrial heritage.

The Woodland Trust has been actively collecting data on urban trees, contributing to policy-making and natural restoration efforts. They play a crucial role in managing urban forests, essential to the city's resilience. Over five years, London's councils removed nearly 50,000 trees, including 10,000 in the last year alone, due to disease, construction, invasive species control, and climate stress. These factors highlight the need for resilient urban forestry practices.

A mixed-use project, the initiative repurposes fallen London trees, showcasing innovation and environmental responsibility. Collaboration with key stakeholders like The Woodland Trust and Wandsworth London Borough Council adds credibility and support. The project's design includes various functions: timber operation, materials production, an auction house, an educational centre, and a tree nursery park, enhancing its versatility and community impact. Strategically located in Wandsworth, the project capitalizes on its proximity to urban areas and environmental

Capsule for the passing on Protecting Architecture by Crafts

Humble Origins Lavish Craftsmanship The Essence of Luxury

Wandle Detla at 1820s Home to Families Business & Waterfront Living

Hosea Cheung_ Wandle Detla at 1820s Home to Families Business & Waterfront Living - Hosea Cheung.jpg

Project 1: A Time Capsule Project 2: A Vestige: Community Ownership

James Ellwood

Project 1: Time Capsule The first project proposed a time capsule for Wandsworth,

Buildings are built and destroyed lasting 50 to 100 years. Through this project I propose a building created in stages to eventually become a ruin for the community. A ruin intertwined within the memories of the surrounding people to be re-discovered by future generations in the second brief.

Through the brief of mudlarking as a way of re-connecting to the past of London, Wandsworth’s community begins to appreciate the essence of materiality in capturing stories and creating the idea of time. Where the concrete foundations store items of the Thames and the pathways of the building become an exploration of the term ‘spolia.’

Therefore, the building serves as a time capsule for the memories of the visitors and locals who eventually may tell their kids about the time they placed a stone, a brick or piece of pottery within the ruins at Wandsworth.

Project 2: A Vestige: Community Ownership

Building upon the first brief the second project proposes a museum and library of things for Wandsworth. The library of things is a swap and repair culture, where objects are repaired through community ownership. In generations to come these objects will then be transferred to the museum to hold the stories of Wandsworth's past.

The project through the concept of community ownership and communities building museums tackles a worldwide issue of loot within museums. Proposing a new typology for a museum where the importance of objects is created by past generations of a society and therefore are ethically more appropriate than a stolen artefact with minimal cultural identity to the surrounding area.

Similar to the last project materiality is critical to the overall themes, poured earth is used to create an understanding of time through its decay and human interaction. As people carve their names and draw within the walls. While concrete is used to last for generations as a seat throughout the project. Timber shingles are used on the roof to become effected by time were those in cover are less effected. Through both these materials people begin to see how the past materials and future materials are more connected than ever before as we transition towards using more eco-friendly alternatives. Concrete is used within both projects to provide a legacy of the past, a seat for future generations to sit on. These forms and functions are intertwined within different pathways; traces of the past canal are re-introduced, new routes added, and the idea of capturing movement is introduced. Furthermore, the concept of imperfections is explored within the scheme in relationship to the overarching theme of junctions and nodes.

We should think about not just the present or past of a place, but the legacy of a building, what are we giving future generations.

Ground floor plan - JUNCTIONS & IMPERFECTIONS

LONDON IS NOT A 24 HOUR CITY

Ella Hannyngton

Addressing the recent political shift towards the left along with Wandsworth’s high population of night workers, a new beacon for the community is established in the form of a town hall and night workers refuge, catering to the modern, 24-hour Londoner. With the growing importance of becoming politically aware in today’s society, democracy and the government are seemingly distant within Wandsworth. The old town hall is redundant, new residential developments scattered around the borough create pockets for new neighborhoods but nowhere to act as a base for community discussion. An accessible, public-facing base for the local council eliminates the intimidating nature of a traditional town hall by reducing its formality. With modern life often extending into the night, you would think that the buildings and infrastructure, especially in London, would do the same; however, many of the activities in the capital end shortly after midnight, with nowhere for night-owls to gather past this time. Brick has always been present in civic architecture and has often brought working and lower classes into politics through its humble and easy-to-maintain qualities. It’s use along the River Wandle during London’s industrial period blends the proposal into Wandsworth’s surroundings, cementing it the area’s history and providing for current and future generations.