I am a returning UCA student, currently in my 5th year of M.Arch. Between my undergraduate and Masters, I took 2 years out, where I volunteered at a pottery painting, wellbeing café. They used art as therapy for the elderly, specifically focusing on those with dementia. I also worked in a conservation architecture firm in Folkestone as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant. Through these experiences, I’ve obtained a range of skills that have broadened my way of thinking and how I handle situations.
Our studio agenda for this year was climate change and were given 4 car parks around Canterbury to start off rom. However, my project expands further out, and can be used in multiple different locations in various formations. The three key features of my project are: 1) climate change – the extremes of the hot summers leading to drought, and the cold winters and heavy rainfall, leading to freezing and flooding.
I took most interest in rosemary lane car park, due to the slight slope it provided. My instant thought was water, and how it could travel down the slope. From here it developed to research into waterscapes and rainwater harvesting, which lead to designing waterfall canopies on the landscape. These drove the design of the building as I integrated them within, creating a waterfall canopy running all throughout. Bringing the outside in, in a way which can be celebrated and appreciated to enhance the atmosphere within.
An art workshop day really brought the visual and atmospheric aspect to life, far more than computer generated drawings or renders. By hand, I was able to bring forward the presence of fluidity that resonates with the water, canopies and buildings.
Elliot Waters | Architecture
