The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
About the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment
Location Aberdeen • Courses BSc Architecture, MArch • Head of school David McClean • Full-time tutors 15 • Part-time tutors 12 • Students 300 • Staff to student ratio 1:19
Postgraduate
Ying Choi Angus Chow
Course MArch
Studio Live Project
Project Social Urban Community
Project description This is a project formed by working closely with a number of organisations across Aberdeen to help re-establish the city’s relationship to its waterfronts. It proposes a new ‘urban village’ on part of the harbour close to the city centre as part of a wider exploration of building density and identity in a post-oil economy. This new ‘quarter’, which has been named St Clements, is conceived as a model for inner-city living in Aberdeen. As well as several initiatives to reduce carbon emissions, the proposal tackles transportation by enhancing links within the urban fabric and creating a completely car-free area for the new quarter. Within dwellings there are chamfered openings to create more privacy. Light-grey bricks reference the city’s granite heritage and street lamps have been replaced by light paving to mimic the concept of a ‘Yellow Brick Road’.
Tutor citation The approach was to develop a residential plan that appropriated characteristics and architectural relationships found in coastal towns and built in a lost local tradition of brick. The design adopts a strong environmental agenda that promotes healthy city living, with work and play environments for people of all ages and demographics. The architecture encourages and exploits ‘incidentals’ in a highly intelligent and thoughtful project. Neil Lamb
