http://museumofbritishfolklore.com/
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Material Context
Rhythm of the Groynes. The materiality of the beach boundary can help inform the intervention. The groynes are a prominent characteristic, their rhythm and materiality could help an architecture to be created that blends this defensive threshold.
The town has had a strong agricultural history and many of residents work in this industry. Supporting the local craftsman of the town would help provide economic resilience. An extract from the Bognor Observer 24.02.11.
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| Run Off and Treated Water Outlets |
Tidal Pier
Part of my design proposition will be a pier that harnesses energy from the tidal rhythms. This post looks to explain the simple physics involved. By trapping the water within a container the height difference created between high and low tides allows a 'head' to be created. On average this difference is around 4metres. But depending on the alignment of the sun and moon it can exceed 5.5 metres. The form needs to maximise the stored volume of water. I have searched for precedents but to no avail. The quick calculation indicates that the pier could provide energy for 400-500 homes per year. If the project looks to solve the energy needs for the entire town Tidal kites could be used to boost the energy generation.
The project looks to masterplan the Regis centre carpark. Three building currently make up the emsemble. Library and learning centre, Electrical Substation and Water front restaurant and pier.
Friday, 11 March 2011
A Car Dominated Town
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| Mapped cars at high season in town centre. |
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| Designated car parks highlighted in red. |
Beach Shingle Gabions
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| SSSI area along the west beach of Aldwick |
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| Possible use for the beach shingle, Gabions |
A Carnival of Books and Learning
On arrival you are greeted by the Station Bookstall. Learning facilitation should be a crucial part of the town's carnival. John Wiley publishers a global company has their european printing and distribution centre in the town. I propose that the town creates a relationship with the business and a 'Wiley Wing' of donated books become part of the library. The Carnival for survival looks to create a proposal that engages the public through learning activities. Re situating the library on the beach would place emphasis on a dying institution. the local place for reference and learning. The library is the best possible representation of a piece of civic urban fabric.
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| Wiley printing and distribution centre |
Times of Plenty
Re-stating design concept.
Envisaging a new direction for the town has allowed a project to emerge that allows the carnivalesque character and festivities to be restated as important moments in the year. A new name for the town 'Copaca' - Bognor has allowed a 'carnival for survival' to be imagined, where community resilience is at its core. The project generates power from the tidal rhythms that have a bigger impact as they coincide with the existing major hoildays that take place on through out the year. The town now thrives when the tides are high. Energy is produced and represent times of plenty which allows festival's to take place. The town through a number of architectural interventions will be more tuned to the movements of the sea and there fore earth, moon and Sun.
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| Allowing site to flood creates an urban condition that illustrates the celestial movements Predicting tide fluctuations is easy as it relies the position of the sun and moon. Accurate seven day, annual and quarter of a century forecasts are compiled. This data can provide key dates in the future when energy production will be at its greatest. These dates become key festival days as the energy allows for a 'Time of plenty'. |
High and Low tides are shown in the table below calculated up to the year 2026:
At 'Times of Plenty' the architecture has the opportunity to celebrate this extra energy. A sustainable Blackpool illuminations.
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| Brighton Pier, Photo Dominic Alves |
A Self Sufficient Island- Exploring New Organs for the Town
A plan has been outlined that looks at creating local crops and industries that can support the transition plan for the town. Managed forests line the arrival railway and roads where the harvested timber is used to renovate and construct new buildings. Coppicing fields provide the town with thatch. Hemp is planted and has created a small textile and Hemp-crete industry for the town.
Through the use of a sort of spider diagram I have explored future needs and the associated organs the town would require to become more resilient and self sufficient. These new organs allow the town to strive toward Island living. They include infrastructural and cultural options and are marked by a yellow flag on the diagram below. Ideas for a final proposal have been born from this exploration into the carnival nature of the town and its need to become more resilient in terms of energy, food and transport.
A model was created that celebrates the new location of organs around the town with flags and connective bunting.
Entering 'Copaca' - Bognor
A new arrival through forests that supply the town construction and furniture needs. Planning of the agricultural space around the periphery of the town has helped understand what supplies and support the town needs.
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Organs of the town
1. Bognor Lodge. The Dome House was built by Sir Richard Hotham in 1828 as the centre peice of the town in an attempt to attract King George III. Currently the central building for the University of Chichester, Bognor Campus.
2. Hotham House
3.Royal Norfolk Hotel. Bognor Largest hotel outside of Butlin’s
4. Bognor Pier
5.Train Station
6. Shopping Arcade links the town to the sea.
7. Bognor Cinema
8. Splash World water park Butln’s
9. Fitzleet Tower, Focal point to the town. Can be seen from the South Downs
10. Brutalist Health centre
11. The crowning of Butlin’s, the all weather tent, which has become their trade mark icon.
A town currency!
A currency can be used to support small local businesses. Many transition towns and communities have adopted this approach such as Brixton and Totnes. The currency in Bognor could help to open up Butlin's to the wider town community and not just for the visitors.
“All that lives, lives not alone, nor for itself”
William Blake, 1789
LOCALISM BILL
‘Eric Pickles’s bill is a farrago’
This cant about localism is a cover for eroding the local state and cutting from its soft underbelly.
Eric Pickles had an easy ride yesterday when he unveiled his localism bill. Most of the media dutifully allowed themselves to be deflected from the main event – the funding settlement for councils. Local government is the state’s soft underbelly: home helps, swimming pools, street cleaning and libraries are more vulnerable, because they tend to benefit those without the loudest voices. Cuts are easier to engineer here, and blam e can always be heaped on hapless councillors.
As for localism, this government is no different from its predecessor. It will keep central control of what it cares most about – spending. It is happy to let go of things it considers irrelevant or, in the case of the Tories, that will help them cut the state down to size. As soon as the vaunted new community activists start asking for more or the right to raise revenue, they will be squashed.
A true localist would extend councils’ financial autonomy. Last week Pickles said councils would be allowed to raise taxes over his dead body. High up in the localism bill is a measure designed to intimidate councillors by threatening referendums on plans to raise tax above some centrally specified threshold. The Treasury is vetoing any move to give councils control of the money they collect from business – in case they choose to increase it.
All this is determinedly anti-localist. At this stage in the financial cycle, councils should be looking for other sources of revenue, perhaps from tourist or sales taxes, increased fees for dog licences and so on – just what is happening in Germany, for instance. But from the government there is not a word about freedom of fiscal action in England.
David Walker
guardian.co.uk, Monday 13 December 2010 22.00 GMT
Sunday, 20 February 2011
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