Charlie Matheson
(She/Her)
My academic and professional work has consistently explored heritage and conservation, an interest that I hope to carry forward as I begin the next stage of my career in architecture. This year concluded with a thesis that investigates how architectural heritage can inform contemporary design- not as nostalgia, but as a way to engage with material knowledge, sustainability, and cultural continuity.
Joint Futures
Joint Futures: Heritage as Living Practice
Copenhagen has always had a relationship with timber. It is present in much of Denmark’s vernacular architecture and has been used consistently throughout the centuries. Despite the historic and cultural use of timber, this traditional construction method has been lost in modern architecture. This thesis project aims to:
– Assess and demonstrate the use of historic timber construction methods within contemporary design.
– Facilitate, teach and celebrate the application of endangered craft skills.
– Construct an architectural narrative articulated across three sites of social, civic and cultural relevance.
– Develop spaces that are both innovative and deeply rooted in place, with community and education at the core.
– Combat the selective loss of built heritage by contributing to public knowledge and understanding of the city.
Joint Futures investigates how architectural heritage can inform contemporary design- not as nostalgia, but as a way to engage with material knowledge, sustainability, and cultural continuity.