ramsgate beach huts
type. design project
stage. one
date. december 2016
description. "The site for this Module was set in the seaside town of Ramsgate between the end of the current parking lot (soon to be the reinstated Lido) and the continuing beach coastal path. In anticipation of a greater demand for home-based holidays following the “Brexit” referendum, Ramsgate Local Authority have decided to reinstate the old shoreline Lido in all its original glory, and add other needed amenities to encourage the people of the South East of England to consider Ramsgate as a prime destination for their Annual Summer Holidays. They have decided however not to include the original ‘D’ shaped boating lake at the end of the Lido but to instead invite suggestions from talented young designers for a new beach shelter/hut park in its place. The Local Authority required suggestions for the whole end of the Lido site. The Local Authority require[d] not only a Masterplan for the site showing the disposition of all proposals for the site but also a detailed individual design of one of the shelters. The [... proposal also had to] respond to the lack of any amenities in the area and include the suggested location of a Retail / Bar / Café outlet within the site boundary, [... of which had the potential to] be of dual use with the Lido if considered desirable. The proposed location of Public Toilets / Showers might also be considered for people using the adjacent beach."
Gardner, C. (2016, September). 2015-002 AR318 FORM FINDING Brief Assignment 2. 2014. Retrieved October, 2016 from Moodle.
My concept for this project followed the ideas of the relationship between the ocean and the land. The parallel lines that are seen in plan, section and elevation are drawn from the visualisation of waves out in the open ocean that follow one another in a parallel fashion until they hit the land mass to which they were headed. Water, whether it takes form of rain, rivers, glaciers, or oceans, all take part in eroding a landscape - in this case the massing of my beach huts are arranged in a way that gives the structure a general shape that resembles an over-hanging cliff at which the base has been slowly eaten away by waves. The organic form that comprises the edges of each storey also follow the geographical theme in that it represents terrain contour lines that are often seen on maps.
The ground floor holds all the public amenities that are required by the brief such as retail, bar and cafe outlets, as well as public showers and toilets to allow for easy access for those who are enjoying the surrounding area as well as those who are staying at the beach huts - additionally, having the public facilities on the ground floor allows a slightly more private environment for the tenants of the beach huts to enjoy. The first, second, and third floor all house the beach huts, the massing of which curves toward the ocean to allow for optimum views from them, and is stepped back gradually between the floors so that they catch the most daylight. The water features, both in front of and behind the structure, also aims to bring daylight into the beach huts. The fourth floor serves as an additional viewing point for the residents of the beach huts to enjoy the surrounding scenery from a premium angle.
design journal.
