An extract from the Unit A brief taught at Oxford Brookes University's Architecture Undergraduate course, 2015-2016.
Agenda
Central to our approach is the notion of a real-life project in which we engage in a scenario, both current and tangible. The focus of the unit is to study in depth how and why we build things, investigating the social, economic and political contexts of projects as well as construction techniques and material exploration. We want to engage in how the city is changing and look for ways in which architecture can react, effect and provoke reaction in this context.
The site of study is a large yard and warehouse by Deptford Creek in South East London. Prior to its final redevelopment it will play host to a series of temporary and meantime uses, acting as a testing ground for how to incorporate cultural production into the longer term development of the site. Beyond this 4 year window the site will be developed more substantially. The unit will use this project’s structure, site and context as the basis for investigations.
Creekside - Deptford - London
This area is on the front line as developers encroach on a vibrant and established artists’ community. The site provides a rich and real opportunity to engage with the debates surrounding culture-led redevelopment, established communities and regeneration in deprived areas. This Deptford scenario is a microcosm, acutely representative of a macro situation borne out across much of London and relating directly with many current debates in the architectural community around the future of the city.
Events, Workshops and Staging
We want to consider architecture founded by events and resulting in structure. We do not just live in buildings but rather they are designed around the needs of our life. We will start therefore by holding and studying events and use what we learn to inform later design decisions. We will design and develop small scale individual event incubators to act as pop-up social catalysts.
Study Trip: Amsterdam - Masterclass and Research
The unit will travel to Amsterdam to explore how the city has evolved through alternative cultural occupation of industrial heritage and take a masterclass from design and event experts La Bolleur.
A new infrastructure of cultural production
Students will engage in a social mapping of Deptford. Through drawing and analysis we will build an understanding of the material and spatial characteristics that define each social group. This study embeds the projects in the physical context of Deptford Creek and the socioeconomic context of regeneration. Each student is to develop a unique program including some kind of event space and its housing.
