Chloe Edge

Homeland, Eco Community Project

This Level 3 design proposal will be located within The Workhouse, Southwell. Southwell Workhouse in Nottinghamshire is the UKs best-preserved workhouse example, providing an insight into the life of the pauper who endured the harsh regies implemented for more than a century. The intended design proposal is the ideal intervention needed to transform The Workhouse. The proposal shares similar ideals to the buildings original use, providing residential space in which residents would have an active role in the food production process needed to sustain the community. Food would be grow on-site and also sold to the public in order to sustain the building which will also be implemented within the intended design proposal. 

The proposal aims to grow and provide the residents with organic produce grown onsite. They will also have access to a hydrotherapy spa which focuses on natural water-based treatments. The philosophy of the building is to improve the health and well-being of the residents within through the use of natural resources

The ground floor has been designed to be open and easily accessible with the central hub of the building being used to connect the building together via a large staircase and lift. The food production centre is designed to be very open, exhibition styled space with glass walls and Steel gates separating the public and private. The food production space will consist of a variety of copper clad production machinery. Once the produce enters the building it is then processed though the methods of both canning and juicing. Both processes involve the same machinery in the early stages of their production but then get separated by traveling to the top floor. Once the food it produced it then goes into either the shop or the underground storage space which is airtight and used for cold storage. To the right of the shop will be the hydrotherapy spa which focuses on improving the health and well-being of all residential though the use of natural practices such as a sauna steam room and hydrotherapy pool and hydro jacuzzi pods. The mineral water offers health-giving properties; among the many benefits of hydrotherapy are improved digestion, reduced inflammation, offers pain relief, and strengthened immunity. Underground water tanks will be heated using a thermal aquifer and will be passed through the underground filtration system.

The restaurant will be located on the first floor so that the public can experience the food production process while sitting within the restaurant. A frosted glass floor element will be added to the restaurant space in order to be able to view the production space from above therefore making the experience more immersive. 

The building contains four individual flats, two flats for two residents and two flats that can house up to four residents. The flats are designed to be as space saving as possible with everything being built into the timber wall structure clad with pine.

Designed by Chloe Edge.