More From the Coal Face

Front Gable with steel and framing complete

Another update from site at Cyncoed Road. Kevin the builder has made excellent progress recently and the roof is almost fully complete - only some minor repairs and finishing work to do. The verges and window framing are in and resolve the problem of the poorly aligned steelwork very nicely. The expressed steelwork on the main gable elevation looks good, but we should have allowed it to stand proud of the blockwork so the render finished flush. This would have given a crisper result. However, the shaped and chamfered edge that Kevin has done works nicely with the more textured render visible on the original house.

Urban Design for Students without a Design Background


Marga recently attended the iBEE Conference in Sheffield, and presented an interactive workshop about how to teach urban design to students without a design background.

These methods may also have wider applicability, especially with community engagement. Toby will be studying this in more detail later in the month, when he attends a course run by Community Planning (http://www.communityplanning.net/)  in London: Course Details

 Marga's paper can be viewed by following this link: iBEE Conference Workshop.

Reflections on Speed and Compactness in The Era of Online Shopping

I Shop Therefore I Am by Barbara Kruger

We have uploaded the presentation that Marga gave to a conference in Barcelona last summer summarising her work with Dr Cristina Suau on shopping in the internet age and its impact on the built environment. The conference was the Arquitectonics International Review; Mind ,Land & Society 2009.

I Shop Therefore I Am

View more presentations from estudio27.

WISE Building Review, Centre for Alternative Technology

We made our vertical ascent to the CAT site via the trusty water powered cable car. What an arrival experience - gently rising up through the trees from the valley below, with the views gradually opening up to reveal the mountains of Snowdonia beyond.

We were lucky enough to be with Cindy Harris of DCfW who acted as our guide, and who also designed and indeed built many of the buildings on the CAT site. A highlight was the "new" shop building, where the rammed earth walls are particularly beautiful artifacts, albeit with a practical purpose (they provide thermal mass within the highly insulated timber frame structure).

After a lovely lunch in the canteen space of the new WISE building, we were treated to a guided tour by Pat Borer, one of the architects of the new building.

It is a fantastic place, with innovation and clear dedication in the detailing, but also evident care and consideration in the handling of the massing, materials and quality of light.

The circular lecture theatre is a monumental space, suitably defined by a huge circular rammed earth structure. The mechanical devices such as the full-height sliding curved wooden screen (that slides away to reveal a stunning view) and the rotating black-out for the oculus (see video below) are playful elements that contrast nicely with the more formal architectural devices.


The Amazing Rotating Oculus from Toby Adam on Vimeo.

The building makes constant references to external space, be it the entrance square, the central courtyard, the rear walkway hard up against the quarry edge or the roof-top garden. Each has a distinct character and sense of place. For me, the central courtyard with the water gently dripping from the rainwater spouts into the ponds below was the favourite, evoking a strong sense of the former quarry that has been transformed over nearly 40 years since CAT was formed.

Among the simple pleasures such as the restrained palette of materials and attention to detail , it is the straightforward care and commitment of the architects that shines through. Especially when you get an insight into the terrible contractual issues that dogged the construction phases - not, it must be added, due to any fault or misjudgement of the procurement process on the client side.

This is an exemplar building for CAT, but also for us all. It carries its sustainable credentials lightly, without preaching or any didactic messages obscuring the obvious good design.

WISE Building - Photo Set Available



WISE Building Lower Courtyard

 I have finished uploading my photos of the WISE building visit recently, more detailed review to follow.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/estudio27/sets/72157625103968816/

Progess at Cyncoed Road



All rooflight cut-outs are now complete

Another quick visit to site to check on progress. The builder has really made good progress now that the weather has been a bit more stable (golf weekend excepted) and the roof carcass is now finished. All the rooflight cut-outs have been formed, and you can start to get a good idea of the space. The light will hopefully be nice, but it is difficult to imagine with all the dark surfaces and no reflectivity - you never know until the paint is on!

CAT Cable Car

CAT Cable Car from Toby Adam on Vimeo.

Just a quick video of the journey down from the mountain to the car park at CAT, on the water powered cable car. We'll add more photos and a detailed review of the WISE building soon.