Category Archives: architecture

Monday musings – shipping container homes as transitional housing gets go ahead in Brighton

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A few weeks ago, when we were still deciding what to call this series of Monday blogs, we wrote about a new project in Brighton which planned to use converted shipping containers as transitional housing. This project was still in planning, so despite the masses of value that we could see for such a scheme, there were no guarantees that the shipping container homes would actually be realised in the city.

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However, the end of last week saw some great news. The project by Brighton Housing Trust and developers QED has been given planning approval by Brighton and Hove City Council.

The project was described as an ‘imaginative and appropriate’ way to create temporary  transitional low cost housing in a location that is not suitable for permanent housing in the centre of the city.

Plus, when the land is required for part of the extended redevelopment of the New England Quarter in Brighton, the shipping container homes can be relocated with relative ease.

We are very excited that this scheme has been granted planning permission as it shows a real move forward not only for innovative architecture in Brighton, but also as it will provide real change for those who will call these shipping containers home.

We will be following this story closely, so expect updates as the project develops in Brighton.

Monday muses – Brighton and Hove become the world’s first One Planet City

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Every Monday here on the Ecospot we look at a slightly meaty issue and today we just had to be talking about the fact that Brighton and Hove has been declared the world’s first One Planet City – very nicely timed as today is also Earth Day.

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BioRegional, an independent sustainable accreditation organisation awarded the title to Council leader Jason Kitcat at a presentation last week, which took place at a sustainable housing project in Brighton.

But just what does this award mean?

In essence, it means that Brighton and Hove Council’s Sustainability Action Plan has been recognised for it’s plans to enable residents to live well within a fairer share of the world’s resources.

The Sustainability Action Plan sets out clear goals for Brighton and Hove – including how we can begin to live within the resources of one planet, rather than the current national average of three and a half.

To date, this has been manifested in a number of ways, with the council investing in updated insulation for council owned properties to allow tenants to benefit from lower energy bills and therefore carbon outputs and community growing schemes.

But the Sustainability Action Plan aims to to a great deal more over the next three years – helping residents and businesses in Brighton and Hove to become more sustainably resilient whilst boosting the local economy.

Ten key principles for being a One Planet City are:

Zero carbon - Making buildings more energy efficient and delivering all energy with renewable technologies.

Zero waste - Reducing waste, reusing where possible, and ultimately sending zero waste to landfill.

Sustainable transport - Encouraging low carbon modes of transport to reduce emissions, reducing the need to travel.

Sustainable materials - Using sustainable healthy products, with low embodied energy, sourced locally, made from renewable or waste resources.

Local and sustainable food - Choosing low impact, local, seasonal and organic diets and reducing food waste.

Sustainable water - Using water more efficiently in buildings and in the products we buy; tackling local flooding and water course pollution.

Land use and wildlife - Protecting and restoring biodiversity and natural habitats through appropriate land use and integration into the built environment.

Culture and community - Reviving local identity and wisdom; supporting and participating in the arts.

Equity and local economy - Creating bioregional economies that support fair employment, inclusive communities and international fair trade.

Health and happiness - Encouraging active, sociable, meaningful lives to promote good health and well being.

Many of these have already been initiated by Brighton and Hove City Council, with an increase in recycling collected from communual points within the city (which, although very controversial, appear to be working as a 70% increase in weight of recyclables have been reported), the Food Partnership projects throughout the city as well as them signing up to become a Living Wage employer.

How this accreditation will continue to manifest itself over the coming months and years will be exciting to see – and how Brighton and Hove can continue to grow as a city founded on sustainable principles.

Monday thoughts – shipping containers as transitional housing

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A problem as complex as the housing crisis in the UK has so many associated issues that we can never hope to find one single solution. There needs to be alterations to the financial and banking systems to allow mortgages to first time buyers,  the issues with empty houses needs to be addressed and we need to ensure that any new development is both responsible and positioned in the correct locations with a fully supported infrastructure.

But could great design and a bit of sideways thinking help a fraction of those who are currently without homes?

A project in Brighton is aiming to be one of the first in the UK to address this issue with a temporary housing project constructed entirely from shipping containers.

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The Brighton Housing Trust and developers QED have submitted plans to Brighton and Hove City Council for a project which would see 36 shipping containers converted into self contained studio style flats. Complete with solar panels and green roofs, the container flats are well designed, spacious and are a very effective use of space.

Located on an inner city brownfield site, the shipping containers would be used as temporary transitional, ‘halfway’ housing for homeless within Brighton and Hove. Affordable rents would allow residents to find stability, eventually moving on to housing elsewhere in the city.

We are huge fans of the shipping container at the studio – they are a very efficient form of construction as they are modular, easily transported and therefore easily relocated. They are not often seen in the residential sense in the UK, but projects such as these are seen readily, and accepted elsewhere in Europe.

The model that the BHT proposal is based on comes from the Netherlands, where flats within shipping containers are often used in development. One project near Amsterdam uses 250 shipping containers as a huge, stacked student accommodation and they have also been used as boutique hotels.

shipping container W300 Shipping Containers Provide Temporary Accommodation

But the main beauty of a proposal such as this is the highly adaptable nature of the construction. The containers are converted off site and arrive mostly prefabricated, are quicker to ‘build’ than houses using standard construction methods, so site down time is incredibly low and when the site they sit upon is to be redeveloped, they can be unstacked and relocated.

Although the jury is still out on the use of shipping containers as a long term solution to low cost housing in the UK, we believe that projects such as this show real promise for many locations – and potential residents in the UK.

(images via sxc and Brighton Housing Trust)

Weekend Colour Inspiration – 50 shades of grey

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Well, not quite 50 shades of grey, but still a hell of a lot. This week on Weekend Colour Inspiration we are looking at the colour grey and the incredible variations we spotted whilst on our Amsterdam trip.

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We adore the colour grey – despite the banded about 50 shades, the human eye can actually see and differentiate between around 500 shades of grey. It is a wonderful, alternative neutral colour, which can be a perfect foil for brights in both interior and exterior spaces.

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Whilst on our trip, I noticed just how many shades of grey adorned the Dutch houses, shop fronts and in the landscaping. Plus, just how these lovely grey junctions sat, side by side and so I began to document a few.

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Junctions between houses. Walls and floors. Signage. Grey was everywhere. And we loved it.

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Perhaps because our skies in the UK are so often grey, we generally associate grey with being flat and dull, which is unfair. It is celebrated in the Netherlands (whose light is not that dissimilar to ours) - and it looks sophisticated and rich.

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So, instead of using just one shade of grey, why not look at bringing different shades together, light grey with dark, textured grey with smooth.

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(images by claire potter)

 

weekend colour inspiration – colour using light

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Last week we looked at how colour can be brought into a space with a little caution – with a display that can be easily altered and amended to suit your changing preferences. For this week for weekend colour inspiration we are looking at how you can bring colour into a space using light.

The example we have is quite extreme but shows just how light, and particularly coloured light can affect a space.

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This installation is situated in the original stairway to the Stedelijk museum in Amsterdam and is by the light artist Dan Flavin.

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Based on the shapes and colours of Mondrian, the installation brings a very ethereal feel to the otherwise white space.

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And instead of detracting from the architecture, the lighting helps to direct attention to elements of the space which could have otherwise been missed - the perimeter architrave detailing and mouldings for instance.

So when you are planning the use of colour in your own spaces, why not consider using coloured light to direct attention? LED lighting strips are now available in a whole range of set of customisable colours and are very energy efficient. Choose carefully, as it can end up a little too disco, but get the shade and intensity right and it can really add to a space.

And the great thing is that if you fancy a bit of white again, you can just turn it off…

(images by claire potter design)

flowers and graffiti from Amsterdam

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We are particularly drawn to anything with high contrast – the rough with the smooth, the loud with the quiet, the dark with the light. Contrasting elements can provide real interest to a space, display or even just to differentiate between surfaces.

So, whilst wandering around Amsterdam last weekend, there was one particular photo which showed interesting contrast in a way which we had not seen so much - flowers and graffiti.

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We found a lovely flower shop – very typically Dutch and beautifully presented. But the flowers flowed around the corner into an adjoining alley, where masses of bright yellow pansies and violas were displayed for sale.

Sitting against a dark black, graffiti covered wall, it was this piece of contrast that really caught our eye. Flowers and graffiti do not sit obviously next to one another, but these shared splashes of gold and black, so complimented each other whilst still having a great contrast.

So when you think about putting together a display, or redecorating a part of your house and garden, think about contrast – how can the unusual be combined to create something which shocks in the right way?

(image by claire potter design)

Wednesday Walls – electrical industrial from Amsterdam

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There is something about the industrial which particularly appeals to us.

It could be the rawness of the materials  the textures or even the graphics which are associated with the item. There is a beauty to the industrial.

So whilst in Amsterdam last weekend, there was a particular piece of industrial architectural detailing which caught our eye, and we ended up spotting for the entire trip.

These electrical point signs are found on walls throughout the city, with some in boxes, some in plain signage, some in metal and some painted.

So for today’s Wednesday Walls we are looking at a few of the (many) signs we took photos of, which we will use as inspiration for colour combinations, patterns and even fonts.

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Try spotting similar industrial things around your own town or city – they could look mundane  but as a collection they can really inspire…

(images via claire potter design)

delicate connections at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

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When a museum needs to extend its footprint there are a great deal of decisions which are critical to the success of the project. We are not personal fans of the ‘pastiche’ style extension, preferring a piece of modern architecture which is sensitive to the original building. So for our first post from our recent trip to Amsterdam, we are looking at the fantastic extension to the Stedelijk museum.

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Built in 1895, the Stedelijk forms part of the green and open museum quarter, sitting alongside the soon to be open, newly updated Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum, which is also currently undergoing large renovations.

Housing an extremely comprehensive collection of contemporary art and design, the Stedelijk was in dire need of a new extension, which doubled the size of the museum and was completed in 2012.

Whilst the new extension raised a few eyebrows, with some people likening it to the underside of a bathtub, the internal space is quite stunning.

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We were very taken with the quality of the space inside the extension, but were particularly taken with the connection details between the original 1895 building and the new, white and glass extension.

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The external detail around the top of the extension allows a lovely ‘breathing space’ between the roof detail of the original building, with a glimpse of sky reinforcing the gap.
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Inside, looking upward, there is a flexible rubber edged glazed detail which runs around the junction between both buildings – acting as both a metaphorical and practical ‘cushion’. The separation is sensitive and the rubber allows the buildings to move independently from one another.

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This sensitivity extends into the internal refurbishments  where both spaces flow beautifully with no visual jarring. They feel as one.

Even though the external appearance of the new section of the Stedelijk might not be to everyone’s taste, we think this extension is a wonderful example of how extensions should be done. With delicacy, sensitivity and with respect for the original building.

(images by claire potter design)

Monday thoughts – CRASH – Constructing a Future for Homeless People

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CRASH

Even though we had heard about CRASH, it was not until very recently that we learnt a great deal more about the fantastic work that they do as the construction and property industry’s charity for homeless people when we met them at EcoBuild 2013.

 

CRASH is a charity which functions at the very heart of the construction and property industry which through patronage in different forms, helps to create positive change for homeless people.

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CRASH achieves this in three ways:

  • Providing pro-bono professional expertise courtesy of their patrons
  • sourcing free building materials from patron and supporting companies
  • awarding cash grants for projects

Through these types of direct industry partnerships, CRASH is able to help an average of 80 homeless projects each year – including the building of new hostels that are well designed, clean and safe.

As well as expertise, supporters work with CRASH to donate materials to projects, making a really big difference to many peoples lives at a point where a stable and safe environment in critical to moving on.

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We all know how buildings effect our lives – the way we work, how we live and those we interact with on a daily basis, but sometimes we can all miss exactly how important the function of our built environment can be.

The great work of CRASH highlights exactly how the building industry can create direct, positive change for those who really need it – in a way that actually makes a huge difference.

We are very lucky to have worked with the local homeless charity, Emmaus Brighton and Hove on a variety of projects and we know from working and speaking to the companions that safety, security and stability are three of the main aspects that provide a starting point for rebuilding their lives.

CRASH is a fantastic charity that as well as supporting the building of projects, are supporting the rebuilding of peoples lives.

As they aptly put it, CRASH are ‘constructing a future for homeless people’. A positive thought for the whole construction industry.

(images via CRASH)

Could we build a wooden skyscraper?

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Wherever you live across the world, skyscrapers are generally constructed from steel and concrete. Despite the carbon cost of such materials, this is the engineering and architectural technology that works. But have you ever stopped to wonder whether we could actually build a wooden skyscraper?

This is exactly the question that architect Michael Charters has posed for the recent 2013 eVolo Skyscraper competition.

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‘Big Wood’ as the project has been named, would be a large mixed use development constructed from timber, which could dramatically lower the environmental impact such a project would have. Around 39% of all man made carbon emissions comes from the construction industry, so a reduction in material impact on a large scale is to be encouraged.

Plus, even though using timber has to be properly managed, using products from sustainable sources, the wood itself keeps carbon locked within its core, even when providing structure for the building.

Recent studies cited by Charter have proved that 20 or even 30 storey high buildings are possible in timber, so it could not be too long until we see a true wooden skyscraper.

(image via Inhabitat)