Studio 02: Back to Front

Regeneration in urban locations is a provocative debate, and one which can divide communities. Time frames, economics, land pressures, social and spatial organisation are all factors that offer a frame of reference to consider new buildings and infrastructures.

As the need for sustainable alternatives to building a new becomes increasingly urgent, Studio 02 will continue to explore the themes of tolerance and compromise, through appropriation of existing structures, from innovative imaginative insertions to ambitious adaptations, that offer something other to the city.

The Studio promotes an idea of intensity of activity and mixture of use heightening an "urban" experience rather than a singular, specific programme. These uses are likely to change over time and therefore tolerance was designed into the architecture.

During the course of the year, students developed a series of architectural interventions that respond to and critique this theme. Students were encouraged to consider prefabrication and timber as a method of construction early in the design process. Offering many benefits, this type of construction provides the opportunity to work directly and collaboratively with skilled, professional makers and introduces phasing and time to building processes and the transformation of the city.