Tying my building into Fort William and enabling it to be used as an open public space was an important part of my project. To
tie the building into Fort William, a large open area is provided for the public to use, allowing them to interact with the building
without entering it. This area extends out into a square in front of the Garrison and the courthouse. The cafe was deliberately placed
to allow it to be accessed without necessarily having to access the rest of the building. To allow the space under the building to be
supported while remaining open, I decided to use a series of thin supports that would resemble thin Birch trees, thereby reducing the
appearance of the structure. The large windows mean that the principal space has a large view out onto Fort William while allowing
the events going on to be observed from the outside. The building utilises the two main levels surrounding the site to its advantage
by having the upper levels’ emergency exit on the raised portion of the site, which allows the building’s occupants to escape more
quickly.