The Watershed
My thesis project, The Watershed Market and Wetlands, was grounded in site-specific research in West Cumbria, a landscape shaped by the complex interplay of natural systems, industrial legacy and increasing vulnerability to climate-related disruptions. Investigating the impact of flooding and environmental change on local infrastructure and social cohesion led to a central research focus: How can architecture foster social cohesion through climate resilience?
‘The Watershed’ is named to signify the project’s role as a pivotal turning point for connection and transformation. Much like a natural watershed collects and channels water across ecosystems, this thesis serves as a hub for resources, ideas, and communities, bringing them together within the region. The project recognises the historic and ongoing influence of rivers, wetlands, and coastal trade in shaping local industry and agriculture. Drawing inspiration from these natural systems, the architectural language of the project echoes the forms and functions of the surrounding environment, honouring both cultural heritage and ecological resilience.
The resulting design strategy, responds to both ecological and community needs. It proposes a spatial intervention that reconnects fragmented systems, restores wetlands, supports market infrastructure, and provides accessible green public space. In doing so, the project aim was to reframe water not as a threat, but as a catalyst for regeneration. By embedding resilience in both environmental performance and social infrastructure, the project offers a civic anchor grounded in collective identity. This process deepened my understanding of architecture’s dual capacity: as a contributor to environmental degradation and as a potential force of renewal. It emphasised the necessity of designing not just for sustainability, but for long-term adaptability and equitable recovery, as reflected in the development of my Design Principles.
