RIBA Bronze Medal Nominee 2020

21st Century Industrial Communes

Pavilion Farms: The focus of this project surrounds the reintroduction of industry into the city and doing so in a manner that is sustainable both socially, economically and environmentally.

It proposes the creation of pockets of self-sustaining industry established by and for local communities. These micro-communities are sustained by four ideals: production of produce for community; development of new metropolitan industry; the creation of community spaces; and the production of community resources that in turn create new industrial communes. The intention is for these pillars to reinforce one another whereby farming supplies industry, industry supplies produce to the community, and the community coalesces with farming and industry through interaction and participation. Further, a more literal cycle is present in which certain resources for farming and industry come from the community, such as a composting initiative co-assisting in the on-site production of compost and fertiliser.

In addition, the project proposes for these ‘communes’ to take advantage of sites that currently exist as either public green spaces or existing agricultural land. As a result, it is of the utmost importance that these proposals address the community’s relationship with such sites and how its peoples may interact and gain from them. The nature and design of these sites should encapsulate the maintenance of public presence and be conducive to a robust and enriched relationship between communities and the new industry.

The first stage of the above-mentioned scheme is the principal focus of this proposal, specifically in relation to the design of Pavilion Farms, a new industrial hub located in the centre of Brighton within Pavilion Gardens. The overarching vision of this project is a future in which architectural proposals take a more multi-faceted and holistic approach to design. That is, one in which programmes influence and reinforce one another, acknowledge the fundamental relationship with community, and place sustainability and environmentalism at the forefront.

The following presents a set of drawings evolved in the research section of this project. They explore existing areas of industry and farming with a look at potential areas for this to expand within Brighton city centre.

The next set of drawings present the final iteration of the design proposal for Pavilion Farms. Before delving into this, a short introduction to the site will be given through an illustrative ‘guide to site’.