MSA Stage 4 School of Architecture
Reuben Porter Chambers
In response to the studio theme of “Living in Agreement,” my designs for both urban housing and an urban building in Dennistoun, Glasgow, are grounded in the belief that intelligent societal organisation can address the complexities of the climate emergency. Through an authentic reading of the city, my approach integrates sustainability, community well-being, and aesthetic enhancement. The urban building concept combines a data centre with a bathhouse,leveraging excess heat for energy efficiency through a circular economy ideology, and fostering community health. Simultaneously, the urban housing proposal embraces a multigenerational approach, promoting cohesion and resource efficiency while enhancing access to green spaces. These designs exemplify negotiation, compromise, and balance across political, social, cultural, and climatic conditions.
Drawing upon my research of Dennistoun, Glasgow, I discovered alarming statistics indicating high rates of deprivation, poverty, and reduced life expectancy, particularly among men and children. Dennistoun ranked in the lower third for these categories, signalling a pressing need for intervention. Additionally, reports highlighted prevalent issues of poor mental health and limited access to exercise and healthy food options due to financial constraints. Recognising these underlying challenges, I was determined to enhance the well-being of Dennistoun’s residents through urban development initiatives.
Given that less than 50% of individuals aged 18 to 35 live with their families, and over 40% of elderly people live alone in the UK, I identified multigenerational housing as a solution to address the diverse needs of Dennistoun’s population. By providing family support networks, reducing isolation, and promoting resource efficiency, such housing endeavours aims to combat poverty, deprivation, and mental health issues while fostering a stronger sense of community cohesion.
Furthermore, with Glasgow exhibiting one of the lowest life expectancies among large Scottish cities and Dennistoun ranking in the top third for areas with people living in poverty, it became apparent that additional measures were necessary. In response, I envisioned an urban building designed to improve both physical and mental health outcomes. This community-led council-owned bathhouse, offered free of charge, aims to counteract the correlation between financial insecurity and exercise levels, thereby addressing the root causes of poverty and enhancing overall well-being.
Additionally, the integration of a data centre within the urban landscape presents opportunities for job creation, technological innovation, and community services. Leveraging excess heat from the data centre for energy transfer not only promoted efficiency but also contributed to grid stability and embraced principles of the circular economy. By combining these elements, my designs sought to transform Dennistoun into a vibrant, resilient community where residents could thrive both physically and economically.
In conclusion, my designs for urban housing and an urban building in Dennistoun represent the ethos of “Living in Agreement.” Through thoughtful integration of sustainable technologies, community-centered spaces, and improved urban infrastructure, these proposals address pressing societal challenges while enriching the lived experience of residents. By repurposing excess heat, fostering multigenerational living, and enhancing connectivity to green spaces, the designs contribute to a more equitable, resilient, and vibrant urban fabric. They represent a tangible manifestation of negotiation, compromise, and balance across intersecting political, social, cultural, and climatic conditions, aligning closely with the studio theme and its call for intelligent societal organisation in response to the climate emergency.
Urban Building
Urban Housing
Urban Strategy
Site Plan
PEOPLE SAVED DENNISTOUN
Urban Building – Bathhouse & Data Centre
My architectural concept revolves around the integration of a data centre, and a bathhouse. Central to this vision is the innovative use of excess heat from the data centre, repurposing it to power and warm the bathhouse. This sustainable approach embodies a commitment to a circular economy, as seen in the conecpt diagram. The heat transfer from the Data Centre does not only extend to the Bathhouse, but can also be optimised to support the energy usage of the cafe, bar and office. When the building is out of use or if there is an excess, the energy can be sold back to the grid.
Beyond functionality, the mission extends to enriching the visual aesthetics of the adjacent train station. By updating the architectural elements in the existing urban fabric, the project aims to enhance the overall visual appeal and coherence of the near by Bellgrove train station. This undertaking attempts to show the transformative power of design, contributing not just to infrastructure but to the daily
experience of commuters and the surrounding community. Thus, enticing the public to engage with the new building and through this,
the greater Dennistoun.
The reasoning behind designing a bathhouse is to improve the physical and mental health of the people in Dennistoun and
Glasgow, as my research shows people in Glasgow, particularly in Dennistoun suffer from early life expectancy and are at high rates of poverty. This is why I have designed a community-led health and wellness space to fight against the issues that people in the area are facing. The building will provide job opportunities, offer buisnesses use of the Data Centre, offer the public means to exercise and a space to relax and improve their mental health. These implementations aim to improve the rates of poverty, poor mental and physical health for people in Dennistoun and therefore increase life expentancy.
I have done this by creating a multi-storey mixed-use building that can capture the imagination of the public through a continuation of arches which creates a realm of shadows and textures that house the functions within. The interplay of single, double and triple heighted spaces that are playfully explored as you journey through the building provides various views out to the street or over the train station. This simultaneously creates vast openings for light to enter the contrasting interiors, the warm, bright cafe and bar, and the darker, tranquil Bathhouse.In essence, my concept seeks to redefine the relationship between architecture, technology, and the urban environment. It is an exploration of how thoughtful design can create spaces that are not only functional, but also contribute to sustainability, efficiency,
and the well-being of the people they serve.
Urban Housing – Multigenerational Housing
My proposal for the Urban Housing Project in Dennistoun, Glasgow, is to craft a multigenerational housing scheme. I am driven by my phase 1 research group’s findings where we analysed the site through intersectional lenses. We did this through an alternative approach, creating protagonists to understand the site from multiple perspectives of people who have different abilities and are from different backgrounds. This research inspired me to design expressive, safer, and more useful spaces that the people who live on this site would be proud of. This housing model aligns with the evolving dynamics of modern families, which often extend beyond the tradition of the nuclear unit.
Furthermore, I decided to utilise the multigenerational housing concept in mainly my new builds as I believe this would ensure people would be living in agreement with one another. This also puts less stress on the housing market if the larger family are living together and also means the family can lean on each other for their needs and requirements giving them a happier and healthier life.
It was important to me to re-landscape the site to improve access and circulation for all. Imporving the connection to the existing, yet under-developed park was something I also focused on to foster a greener neighbourhood. I also wanted to retrofit the existing buildings to ensure that the architectural narrative was improved in the site. The retrofit and the new build through my iterative design process became one embodied new desigin, building upon the existing structures and forms, whilst creating a new typology in the area. This is shown modeled in full in the building facing Duke Street at the south of the site. This fully designed model acts as a precedent for the retrofit and new build development to the rest of the site that have been proposed in concpet modeling as seen in the site plan and site axonometric.
In essence, my commitment to a multigenerational housing design for Dennistoun stems from the initial urban strategy, my own critical reflections on the housing climate and the site itself. My aspiration is to address the growing societal need for sustainable, community-oriented living spaces. Multigenerational housing not only promotes resource efficiency but also enhances the social fabric of the community.
