MSA Stage 5 School of Architecture

Inness Yeoman

As part of my diploma, I undertook a comprehensive study using old fire insurance surveys drawn by cartographer Charles Goad in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These surveys were originally produced to determine fire insurance premiums for the city of Glasgow. The maps provide detailed information about buildings, including their dimensions, street widths, storeys, heights, construction methods, materials, building use/type, and the proximity of water and fire services. Interestingly, the names of businesses, street names, and numbers are also detailed. Materials are highlighted by colour: pink for stone, yellow for timber, and blue for glass. I reconstructed the map at a scale of 1:500, piecing it together like a jigsaw puzzle to provide a snapshot of Glasgow at the height of its industrial activity. This scale helped convey the intensity of the city and its commercial activity, offering a vivid picture of life in Glasgow during that period. Combining this research with other sources, such as historic aerial shots and Thomas Annan’s photography, I uncovered the history of my chosen site, Charlotte St, an otherwise forgotten city block.

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Charlotte Street Proposal

Charlotte Street Proposal

I have used my final two years of university to develop a thesis that seeks to address the climate emergency, one which is culturally appropriate to Glasgow and speaks to both contemporary and historical social issues. The drawing is an aerial perspective of Calton, looking east towards The Barras, Glasgow Green, the City Centre, and my final year thesis site, Charlotte St. This version of the drawing envisions the repurposing of vacant or derelict sites for urban farming. The theory is that people may be able to cultivate their own crops and trade with distributors. This corresponds with progressive theories of ‘locavoring,’ in which one of the general principles is that people’s diets should consist of locally grown food. The concept is appropriate from a legacy perspective. Glasgow once had a reputation for growing seasonal fresh produce in the city centre. There were at least six productive market gardens in Grahamston, as well as many breweries, granaries, bakeries, and orchards.

 

 

 

 

My final year thesis proposal consists of a masterplan which includes a residential, educational, and commercial component. The proposal for Charlotte Street draws from and expands on themes found at New Lanark but reimagined to attempt to tackle current problems and is about being robust enough to tackle issues of the future. Inter-generational housing dedicates a portion of its space to cultivate fruits, vegetables, flowers or introduce native vegetation through rewilding. A locavore store rewards green endeavors, purchasing produce grown by residents. The ethos of collaboration and community extends to a ‘primary’ school where age constraints are dissolved. Foundational knowledge remains integral, but there’s a renewed focus on environmental consciousness at every learning stage. Subjects like Biology, Maths, Physics, and the Arts are now tools to better understand the environment and our challenge as humans to tackle climate change. This drawing is a top-down view of the masterplan, showing the proposed townhouses, street, and its relation and proximity to the proposed school. The tenements on London Road with commercial ground level reinforce an edge to the city block.

 

 

 

Opposite is a visualisation of my proposal for Charlotte St. The proposal seeks to reintroduce a townhouse vernacular where villas of the same scale historically lined the street. Coincidentally, merchant and philanthropist David Dale lived in one of the historic villas on Charlotte Street. He was the original founder of New Lanark, an early new town used to experiment with social and utopian ideas and communal living, further honed by Robert Owen. The visualisation depicts the proposed regeneration of Charlotte St looking south towards Glasgow Green. The street is pedestrianised and split with a strip of rewilded green space. The width of the street and proximity between the townhouses are intended to create a sense of neighborliness and social inclusion. The street further operates as a gateway to Glasgow Green.

 

 

 

 

 

I introduced the design of a Climate Campus within the Charlotte St proposal to tie together the concepts of sustainability and education. Education, which is vital for all aspects of life, affects children’s early preconceptions of the environment and how to take care of it. The primary school seeks to include an extracurricular and core curriculum that involves learning about horticulture, climate change, feminism, healthy eating, outdoor learning, play, and exercise. The school is not exclusive to children; it involves programs for adults and further education. The school also functions as a base for the community center for Charlotte Street. (This render was from an early stage of the project. The saw-tooth roofs have been flipped to face the north for indirect light. It was apparent there would be too much solar gain facing south. The overall form and program of the school remained the same).

 

 

 

 

This is an axonometric diagram extracted from a detailed technical SketchUp model of the school. It shows the structural elements of the school in three dimensions to better understand the overall structure. The axonometric also communicates the simplicity of the mezzanine circulation and access to the upper floor classrooms. Active large span spaces supported by large glulam timber beams allow for activity to fluctuate within the depth of the plan on an east and west axis, cognizant of daylight and the ability to access secure outdoor learning spaces and fresh air. Controllable awnings allow for control of the amount of light allowed into the building.

 

 

 

 

The formalised floor plans of the Climate Campus logically organise the key spaces of the school. Students have optional points of entry, either through the main entrance or directly via the ground floor classrooms. There are two main stair cores and a central ascending staircase in the main hall. Classrooms are on the eastern axis of the building, optimising natural light in the morning and creating an intuitive flow through the building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The East and West elevations shown illustrate the building’s facades, which are constructed from sandstone panels. Great attention was taken in organizing the geometry and positioning of the panels, enhancing their aesthetic appeal. The use of stone follows my interest in Scottish vernacular architecture. The West elevation has a more utilitarian form that follows its primary function as a sports and dining hall, whereas the East elevation’s communication of the saw-tooth roof is more dynamic and active. The saw-tooth roof faces north for indirect light.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sections provided offer a comprehensive view of the internal organization and structural components of the Charlotte Street Climate Campus. These sections highlight the spatial dynamics, showing the relationship between different functional areas and the overall design strategy. The detailed depiction of constructive elements such as the large glulam timber beams emphasizes the structural integrity and sustainable approach of the design. These beams support large span spaces, facilitating flexible activity zones oriented along the east-west axis, and circulation along the north-west axis. Additionally, the cross sections illustrate the effective use of natural light and ventilation, with classrooms positioned to maximize morning sunlight and ensure fresh air circulation. The design also incorporates controllable awnings to manage light levels within the building, enhancing the environmental comfort and energy efficiency.

Calton & The East End Of Glasgow

Neighbourhood Overview

Charlotte Streetscape

Outdoor Learning

Axonometric Section

Ground & First Floor Plans

East & West Elevations

Long & Short Sections