Barrow's Urban Bloom
I started my journey into architecture in 2016 for my undergrad almost 9 years ago. It was during my second year back then that I picked up Revit for making models and draughting drawings and sheets, and It's safe to say I've become a bit addicted to CAD modelling since then, integrating it heavily into my work over the past 6 years since graduating. However, over this final year of part-time Masters study, I've stepped away from it slightly to return to pen and paper sketching, integrating some more tactile drawings into my work, as opposed to the uncanny perfection of rendered CAD models. Despite producing a decent pile of trace and sketch work, I still ended up making a Revit model that would crash from time to time on my old laptop, but the process of adding life to my drawings provided a good sense of catharsis, similar to a physical model I'd have made in the past. I was once asked by a dear tutor of mine, Proffessor Richard Brook, if I could take a step back from Revit in my work, and to that I'd like to say that I gave it a good try towards the end.
Barrow's Urban Bloom winds back the clock on a set of historic terrace streets in Barrow-In-Furness that were compulsory purchased, demolished, sold off to developers and remade as a Cul-de-sac. The scheme could be considered as a polemic to cut and paste development, aiming to retain and frame the heritage of some of the oldest terrace rows in Barrow. At the heart of the site is a proposed botanical garden acting as a community hub, branching into nearby ginnels with community orchards, wildflower planting and play-spaces. Markets also play a part in this scheme which attempts to empower the local community.
