University of Lincoln
BA Architecture
Final Year Comprehensive Design Project
The final year design project was the redevelopment of a brownfield beach front site in Lowestoft which was scheduled to be vacated by CEFAS Laboratories.
Above: My final presentation at the University of Lincoln consisted of:
6 x A0 poster sheets
1 x 1:200 scale model of the site
3 x A3 progress booklets
1 x panoramic photo booklet
The brief set by the University of Lincoln required that a brown field site that was open for redevelopment be located and fresh new designs established. However, the redevelopment had to be something that was likely to gain government funding at a time of recession and to reflect the current state of the construction industry.
At project development stage the current site owner, CEFAS, was scheduled to move to a new purpose built site, leaving its current site open for redevelopment. The proposal generated for the redevelpoment and which was considered suitable to attract government funding was that of a care home facility for the elderly.
Through the initial master-planning process it could be seen that the chosen site was also part of a narrative that involved the entire length of the sandy south Lowestoft beach. This beach stretch was something that the users experienced as one continuous and changing landscape from one end to the other. From my panoramic photography you can see from one end to the other, the changing buildings, cliff size, materiality and usage.
This continuous and changing narrative of the sea front is cut into two sections by the Claremont Pier in the middle and framed to the north by the south pier. However, there is currently no landmark to the south end of the sea front to frame out the experience completely. Therefore the decision was made to incorporate a pier into the redevelopment of the CEFAS site in order enhance the rhythm and symmetry of the sea front and establish an anchor for the southern tip.
More desription to be added
Aesthetically speaking the form of the the pier and care home facility was derived from the beach huts that are found on the beach front along with the the haphazard nature of the roofline that is found on the Grand Hotel section of the CEFAS site.
