Neil Macalister 2020
Arctic Laboratory
Stromness is noticeably split into two sides, the main town position to the east and the ever-growing developments on the over side facing the west. Between each half a high school sits central at the peak of the unsheltered bay. The master plan introduces many new designs that will help improve Stromness immensely, particularly a sports centre, business hubs and affordable housing. These designs are predominantly situated along the shoreline to help create a visible connection between the two sides and to increase the amount of sheltered space within the town. All aspect of this proposal aims to renew the strong sense of community that is so apparent throughout the island of Orkney.
The bridge if a fundamental part of the whole master plan as it creates a direct link between both sides. Literally reconnecting the route to complete the community and providing a new direction of access round thru town. The main low road in Stromness connect to the bridge at the point where the old ferry terminal was located; on the west side the bridge join to the new road and provides access to the new ferry terminal and the proposed public sports sports centre. At each end the bridge meets a different functional space. This design aims to encourage and promote a safe, healthier method of transport and a direct route across to the other side of the town. It will also enable easy access for the exportation and importation of products and encourage the expansion and raise the tourist appeal of the island.
In order to accommodate for the continuous movement of boats through the bay one section of the bridge will open to create an entrance and help to control the flow of marine traffic. This mechanism will be one of the main focal points and will allow visitors and pedestrians to watch the boat pass through from the restaurant and the viewpoint on the walkway. Splitting diagonally the two raised halves will symbolise the sails of boats once opened and aesthetically will create a significantly stroking feature.
Krasmir Banchev 2020
Krasmir Banchev 2020
Krasmir Banchev 2020
The proposed masterplan for Orkney surrounds the Peedie Sea in Kirkwall, it aims to deliver high quality sustainable housing alongside a new headquarters fir the Arctic Assembly. In the current political climate, scientific evidence has an integral role to play in the development of climate legislation due to the current global warming crisis.
As such the proposed scheme focuses on an Arctic Laboratory , enabling further scientific study around the protection of the arctic ecosystem , thereby safe-guarding thousands of species and their environments’ delivery of this project will enable scientists to have a state of the art hu from which to collect their research, providing further employment opportunities on the island .
To help preserve and further understand this fragile ecosystem the proposed scheme will mimic real life environments with both in research and archive tanks. These tanks will contain a living biological record of a system that is in critical decline and may disappear in generations to come.
The scheme will provide world class facilities, aiming to attract ground-breaking scientists from around the world. The scheme also delivers a series of publicly accessible spaces, providing an educational resource for children through to young adults. This will enable the local community to engage with science and encourage young locals to return to the island from higher education and work in a pioneering field. It is also expected that the centre will attract an influx of young working professionals whom will benefit from the local masterplan proposed.
Architecturally, the scheme echoes the environmental impact that the research will deliver. It utilises recycled stone from various derelict buildings across the island, minimising the carbon footprint of the scheme by reducing the need for imported materials.
The scheme aims to be a humane science and technology building, enabling the public to take ownership of the building when required without the need to feel ostracised from the environment. The scheme addresses the requirement for modern architecture to be multi-functional, delivering a space for both professional and the local community