PAM TALK 2
We attended the second PAM TALK which held in publika yesterday. Charlie Sutherland is the architect for tonight’s public talk and the topic is ‘between definite and inifinite’. As he mentioned, architects live in a world that between the real and imagine one or it can say as - different dimensions. He starts with an introduction that briefly talk about himself or his personality.
-Charlie Sutherland studied Architecture at the Mackintosh School in Glasgow
-Upon graduating he joined the office of the late Sir James Stirling and worked on a number of international commissions and competitions
-in 1997, He established Sutherland Hussey Architects with his long-term colleague, Charlie Hussey, and completed a number of award winning small scale projects all over the UK
-Charlie has been a visiting critic and lecturer throughout the UK and Europe America
-He was elected as a fellow to the Royal Scottish Academy for Art and Architecture in 2011 where he is active on a range of committees to promote the links between education and the Academy and was awarded an Honorary Professorship at Glasgow University in 2013.
Projects
AN TURAS- ‘Actually it’s not really a building, it’s more to a structure’ – Charlie suutherland
An turas that located near to the pier in the island of Tiree was a Scottish Arts Council funded project for Architect, Artist, and Engineer to collaborate in making this fascinating structure. It is a way that can provide convenience for the people.
This structure is intended to act as a ‘shelter’ for the visitors or people nearby while waiting for the ferry. The ventilation also a main priority that need to be considered in this structure. The design is more focus on how to deal with the weather, the climate and the retained beauty of existing site that it hoped will reflect the qualities of the island such as the white beaches, the sky that is bid and horizon, and the monochromatic black houses dotted over the land. These are all refined as a line in the landscape.
The building is experienced as a 3-part spatial sequence:
- The White Walls; open to the sky but sheltered from the wind.
- The Bridge; protected from the weather, closed to the sky and the horizon but open to the rock and sand of the beach below.
- The Glass Box ; a complete panorama, looking out along Gott Bay and beyond.
The Loveshack- located at Lake Windermere Cumbria
Charlie first said develop the landscape is very difficult because there are too many restriction – the trees and a steeply sloping wooded copse by the edge of Cunsey village. The proposal is a replacement for the existing dwelling on the site which is of modest scale and accommodation, providing a compact retreat for two people.
The Shack, as a sustainable holiday location, offers direct rail connections to the Scotland -London main line. The ideas of designing this building is mainly stick to the side to side concept and the building ‘look as’ going up to reveal the idea of unfolding.
The materials selected for the building are in sympathy with the surrounding woodland. The main body of the building is clad in vertical timber boarding. Natural larch panels and glazing are contained within this frame.
THE EDGE HILL
‘Peaking over the gates along an avenue in the Darras Hall leafy estate is a glimpse of an elegant and bold new private family home.’
Charlie mentioned the proposal’s aim are to enhance the natural landscape and aesthetic of Darras Hall by using a timber screen, not only as a privacy device, but also borrowing the natural rhythm and material of the surrounding woodland.
With a rectilinear concrete base, a timber slatted screen wraps around as a lid, unifying the form as a single volume. This creates the most uplifting triple height space below along the entire length of the house, which is brought to life with light, shadows and beautiful materials.
The last building that I want to share what Charlie had mentioned is the new City Museum for Chengdu in Sichuan, China and this was the best and favourite building for him after all. He also states that it is a very interesting exercise for him and his team because it brought in some understanding in European that project in this design.
A huge challenge within the project was to be able to provide the museum with clear span exhibition halls while assure the structure is capable of withstand an earthquake. This Museum sits on the West side of the square and maximizes its profile to present a main hierarchy that stand out within the surrounding areas.
This help to establish a strong formal relationship to it by forming a simple enclosing yet a balance between the building. The long narrow site is exploited using all the public areas to create a relationship with the new square, the remaining façades that enclose the largely hermetic exhibition halls.
The design plays with light, shade and texture whilst accommodating all the technical requirements for ventilation grilles. Besides, a monumental gateway is design to offer an outdoor public space where people can gather, cultural events can take place, even the local street market too. The skin and style of the building is taking the ideas from the traditional culture that truly inspired him.
As a conclusion, from what I heard throughout the whole talk, Charlie analyses the site, adapt and make use of every site. Behind every projects, they have their own narrative story either on the beauty of the landscape, the local materiality, the light or etc. Another thing that Charlie impressed me is that he has a DEFINITE reason for everything he designed, Everything is designed with a reason, nothing could be designed without a reason