In Detail
Exploring the ‘Who Cares’ project in political, practical and technical detail.
CLIENT
Argent & KX Estate Workers
ROLE
Facilitator, Architectural Designer, Researcher, Fabricator, Graphic Designer
DATE
August 2023 – September 2023
Architecture — Labour Ethics
This document is an extension of student work done at CSM, which explores labour ethics are dignified, co-designed, rest spaces for the workers of King’s Cross. It offers an alternative approach for Argent to create better spaces for those that maintain their land given they haven’t done so yet. This conclusion was made through my research conducted in the unit 4 project.
Furthermore, this project illustrates the journey of making these spaces real. It’s told through a series of loose chapters, which are: Practice, Policy, and Technology.
The Design Approach
During the last year of my masters, I conducted an entire project based on 3 words – we’re not allowed. These words came from multiple maintenance workers during casual conversations, which clearly stripped them of their dignity. They explained to me that most of them weren’t allowed to break on the King’s Cross Estate – the space they care for. Instead, they must walk to the google building’s basement to have their break.
I proceeded to co-create various interventions which explored how this care could materialise spatially, while keeping their specific needs in mind. One of which was a floating break space. For this project, I embarked on a journey of making this proposal real for Argent (the developers of King’s X); abiding to real life policies, technical realisations and teams – in detail.
The design was based on the spark of a new typology. Seeing as the existing typology of maintenance is typical quite suburban, such as barns and farmhouses – there’s room for a new urban maintenance typology. This could be a more caring and dignified typology as opposed to the existing ones in. an urban context, which are currently spaces such as: staff rooms, cleaning closets, etc.
This diagram illustrated the project’s design approach. This includes, the order of research, the concepts looked at, the context of both the physical space as well as the political, studies to be undertaken, collaborators and the construction teams.
My Role
The diagram above illustrates my role. Where do I sit in all of this? And what is my role between these people who have pull in the decision making process of planning permission? I stand between the Canal & Rivers Trust, the Local Authority and the developers of King’s Cross Estate. Throughout most of the project my roles are ‘the facilitator,’ ‘the researcher’ and ‘the designer.’
Policy
This section of the report looks at privately owned public space and demonstrates where the landowners of the King’s Cross Estate have breached policies and guidances adhering to the London Plan. This section maps out a sequence of what Argent can do in order to make up for this through stages – the problem, amendment, and solution. It also explores the planning and policy approach.
“This culture of secrecy on the part of landowners is scary,” Sian Berry, leader of the Green party in the London Assembly, told the Guardian. “Being able to know what rules you are being governed by, and how to challenge those rules, is a fundamental part of living in a democracy.”
Use and Community
These illustrations depict the kinds of activities the break space caters for. The design was made to be quite a flexible space in both timing and use with elements such as bi-folding doors, a retractable bridge and storage space for outdoor furniture.
Key aspects of the design were developed in conversations and walks with the workers of the estate, ensuring a collective nature of design.
The project supports those who care for and maintain the area by providing them with a dignified rest area, as well as, a space for knowledge sharing.
The design has been conceived in collaboration with the maintenance workers of the King’s Cross Estate in order to establish their specific needs and definitions of care. The design also considers Argent, Global Generation, Regent’s Canal, Camden’s community and the Camley Street Natural Park through the encouragement of collective ecological research, knowledge sharing and community gardening.
The proposal responds to the wider site context and the existing culture and community King’s Cross Development offers. The floating break space will be permanently moored on the southern embankment of the Regent’s Canal in Granary Square in King’s Cross. And, due to the space being used for break time slots it allows for mixed use. A garden space on the canal side which has been neglected will be restored and provided for them as a relaxed community gardening space.
Click and drag to see details:
This detail illustrates the build up of the proposed roof structure. The details were created using Revit, AutoCad, and Illustrator.
This wall to floor detail ensures easy maintenance and upkeep by avoiding any shadow gaps and offsets. Although the build up isn’t too thick, the weather-resistant cedar facade forms an insulated outer skin and light filter.
This detail illustrates the pontoon system which allows the break space to float. Tubular steel within a framework of steel angles is the proposition. However, this design can be adapted to use recycled plastic tubes. Due to this being below the surface, a topographical study will also need to be conducted to understand the terrain of the canal.
Connections & Strategy
Biodiversity Strategy
According to the Biodiversity Action Plans, the biggest factors affecting Regent’s Canal in Camden is: “Climate change and invasive and undesirable species.”
Therefore the strategy for this proposal is to encourage native wildlife to thrive and reduce invasive species that could potentially be hostile for the native. There are also factors affecting Regent’s Canal in other boroughs, such as: Westminster, Islington, Hackney, Tower Hamlets.
Regents Canal as a User:
While the terrestrial half focuses on the maintenance workers as the predominant user, the lower, aquatic, half focuses on the canal as a user and how to cater specifically for the canal’s flagship users as well as the waters purification. Through understanding the canal as a user and researching biodiversity enhancement, I have found, the best way to ensure this enhancement is through harmony between science, planning and management.
Solar Energy
While speaking to the workers and understanding their definitions of a caring and dignified break, various needs arose, such needs which require electricity. Therefore I propose the Floating Break space is fitted with solar panels to provide solar energy for these requirements.
