Omphalos
OMPHALOS – A centre for power, or empowerment.
A project that actively resists the forces of gentrification through operating on a 100-year timeline, therefore evoking the concept of صبر [sa-bar] within the Beswick community – an enduring and refraining patience. The programme runs off a generational cycle of passing down handmade crafts through learning and teaching, which aids the building’s construction - such as woodwork and weaving – empowering the community to shape their future whilst maintaining societal continuity.
Central to the design is the use of Superadobe construction – a self-build method accessible to non-specialists, solely using the soil from the site to fill the structural tubes. This technique not only enables the community to build their own space but also instils a sense of ownership and cherishment. The subsequent topography, shaped by depressions through collecting soil, is deliberately employed in the siting of particular buildings. By positioning these structures within the sheltered contours of the land, exposure to erosive wind forces is minimised, and allows for a controlled, slower rate of decay. Every aspect of the design, down to the smallest of details, has been informed by this technique.
Rather than designing permanent structures which are unadaptable, this approach employs biodegradable materials that enable the building to decompose and reintegrate into the landscape once it becomes unused, neglected, and unrepaired. The regenerated soil then serves literally as the building blocks for a space that better meets the evolving needs of the community. Through a construction methodology that prioritises material circularity by using components that are either biodegradable or designed for reuse, the design allows for spatial adaptability whilst actively engaging with the urgent need for climate resilience and the restoration of biodiversity.
