1. Off I go back out to sea,
The farewell wave to my family,
In the distance goes the Royal
and Alexandra
A fair way now to the frozen
Kara
Shall I return to see their faces
I often wonder as I visit these
places
A storm, a wave a swirling
surge
That's all it'd take for me to
purge
Landing the catch is our only
goal
These Arctic chills take there
toll
With endless days and sleepless
nights
The wicked sea soon shows her
might
Deckhand, Skipper, high or low
we pull together keep each
other in tow
Hands to the winch winding in
the trawl
gut and ice ready for the
market stall
Fix up our gear for the return
to port
mop up the deck, give the nets
a sort
through the fog I see that
famous tower
I'm home at last! 'tis the finest
hour.
Ryan Geoghegan
Tapestry
Poetic narrative of voyage to sea
3. The port of Grimsby, once
the busiest fishing fleet in
the world served the rest
of the UK with 112000
tonnes of fish at its peak
(1960'S)
The distance travelled by
the trawlerman - often
across dangerous
stretches of water in Arctic
conditions - were as far
as 2500 miles away.
Favourite sites in the
fertile North sea included
the coast of Fairilse and
the waters off Iceland.
Perilous journeys cost the
lives of up to 5000 men,
making the industry the
deadliest. Compared to coal
mining, for every life lost
8 men died at sea. 669
whole boats were
recorded missing bewteen
1812 and 1960, never to
return home to Grimsby.
Distance Travelled
Favourite Fishing Grounds of Grimsby Fleets
Grimsby Telegraph Archive Headlines
4. A typical journey from
Grimsby was taken in small
boats holding a crew of
around 8-12 members, the
men usually worked on the
same boats under a
skipper who chose the
location. With up to 10
months of the year spent
at sea up to 14 days at
a time the men formed
strong friendships,
despite the hardship
endured they would bond
together over cards, food
and games. The loss of
a member at sea would
have a devastating effect
to morale and production
on board, the loss would
be mourned much like a
family member, the bonds
formed on board would
serve the men throughout
their lives with their
experiences and losses
shared for generations to
come
Life on Board
From family games to collective grief
Family Connection
5. The form of a traditinal
trawler boat consists of a
cabin, deck and
lower deck, the Captian of
the ship would order the
deckhands on the
lower levels who would in
turn direct the lower
deckhands, the ranking of
the trawlerman would
usually be based on
experience and the wage
would be decided amongst
the men as per their
contribution on board, yet
despite this formation the
men on board the boat
would often pull together
when needed with the
Captain hauling the catch
just as a deckhand would,
likewise, the hierarchy
diminishes in the
cabin lodgings with the
crew coming together
respectfully at meal times.
Hierachy of Order
A team effort of equality
Hierarchy Diagram
6. My site is located 1.4
miles inland from the
River Humber in the
Alexandra Docks, this
area is also known as
the Riverhead as the
River Freshney runs into the
waters of the dock here.
I have positioned my site
on the water of the docks
running underneath an
existing "Rolling
Scherzer Bascule Bridge"
named Corporation Bridge,
which opened in 1924. This
drawbridge, bridge which
is no longer functionally in
use is seen as a landmark
to Grimbarians.
A proposed Marina is
currently under construction
north of my site bringing
boats back once again to
the heart of Grimsby.
Site Location
Bridging the Town to the Sea
Aerial of Riverhead
7. After the initial site
visit I revisited Grimsby on
a weekend hoping to
become more accustomed
with the town and its
history. My journey
illustrated as a collage
shows my starting point as
the railway station , I
visited an existing
fisherman's memorial
situated outside St James'
Minster, it became
apparent how car orientated
the town is making it
difficult to navigate, the
map below shows my route
in which I sought to enter
the Fish Docks only to find
how segregated and
desolate it was compared
to the rejuvenated town
centre.
'Day in Grimsby' Collage
Segregated and Souless
Route through Grimsby
8. It was during my visit to
Grimsby that I determined
my site location, a post
industrial maritime
jewel close to the heart of
the town centre in the
Alexandra Docks, a
display of nautical themed
artefacts lay in such close
proximity notably the
sunken trawler alongside
the Ross Tiger situated
outside of the Grimsby
Fishing Heritage
Centre.
With Buoys and jetties I
felt that this site was one
of the few which captured
an essence of the former
town, an intangible air of
mystery shrouded the site
making it a suitable
location for my typology.
Site Images
A Rich Maritime Jewel
Photographic viewpoints
9. Constructed upon a former
Gothic Church the Chapel
of Reconciliation is stowed
in history rooting it to the
site, located directly on the
border of the demolished
Berlin Wall the chapel is a
symbolic structure unifying
the divide between the two
sides, the broken fragments
of the demolished wall
were incorporated within the
rammed earth heavyweight
interior ring which
houses the simple
chapel prayer room, the
brick and loam are to
represent a healed land-
scape in this broken
territory.
The history of the site and
the respect given to the
former church is evident
through a modest window
in the floor viewing the
foundations of the former
church, this along with the
fragments of the Berlin wall
give the building a strong
sense of genius of place
responding sympathetical-
ly and symbolically to the
site.
I chose this precedent due to
its sensitive nature in
dealing with a political issue
in which lives were altered
but also the construction of
the building with its
heavyweight core has par-
allels to the sunken archive
space of my design com-
pared to the lightweight outer
ring of loam paralleling the
name structure which wraps
around the perimeter of the
circulation space, ever
present, a unified existence.
'...Building was
intended to resonate
with the fragility
and vulnerability of
peace and
reconciliation...'
Cross Section
Longitudinal Section
Site Map
Heavyweight vs lightweight diagram
Floor Plan over
Church foundations
Precedent Studies
Chapel of Reconciliation, Berlin
Sassenroth & Reitermann
10. Chosen in collaboration with
Piet Oudolf for the prestigious
Serpentine Pavilion of 2011
this structure is designed to
work with contrast, this is
achieved through the selective
use of materials and lighting
within the navigation of the
building, viewers are made to
walk around the dark
perimeter of the structure
which reveals onto a designed
garden space completely
enclosed and in stark contrast
to the darkness endured to
get there.
'This experience will
be intense and
memorable, as will
the materials
themselves - full of
memory and time.'
Zumthors aims was to
create an escape and
sanctuary in the middle of
a busy city making us really
look at the nature after being
enclosed through the
journey of the building, this
hortus conclusus or closed
garden provides a quiet
reflective space connected to
nature through architecture.
This precedent was chosen
for its ability to hide and
reveal, the dark circulation
spaces highlighting the
viewers optical senses whilst
creating a sense of
curiosity until the big reveal
of the contrasting colourful
rich garden is revealed. The
use of material was
carefully selected too,
highlighting the tactile
experience of the viewers
journey, this sense of reveal
and wonder shall be taken
forward in my design.
emphasising the experience of
journey from safety to
uncertainty.
Site Plan
Fauna Plan
Precedent Studies
2011 Serpentine Gallery Pavilion
Peter Zumthor
11. Viewers of the museum un-
dergo an axial journey each
whose architectural narratives
seek to capture the emotion
and hardship endured by the
Jewish. A 'Void' cuts through
the zigzagging plan of the
museum creating a space
which embodies absence, The
sense of not being able to
reach a destination becomes
a central focus for the
museum stripping the
viewer of their power. My
building shall have notions of
contemplation such as being
flush with the dock where
the archive can be consumed
and drowned as we
comprehend the loss endured.
Inaugurated in 2001 this
controversial design is a mark
between before and
after, its deliberate void
spaces an embodiment to the
'literal annihilation of culture.'
Zones of confusion and chaos
replicate the terror that victims
of the Nazis endured.
"This museum
contributes to a
landscape of
memory..."
- Shelley Hornstein 'Losing Site '
The bold form of the
building scars the landscape
as a memory never to be
forgotten, this continual
visibility forming an active
collective memory, the
museum helped Berlin move
on through its tarnished past
acknowledging the Jewish
community and forming a
consciousness of the
Holocaust ensuring that
nobody should ever have to
endure the exclusion and
tragedies faced in the War.
Ground Floor
Cross Section
Cross Section
Precedent Studies
Jewish Museum Berlin
Daniel Libeskind
Daniel Libeskind concept Drawing
12. This precedent was chosen
for its similarity in narra-
tive paying homage to fish-
ermen, although the building
lacks a clear function with
no set rooms I find its ma-
terial palette useful and suit-
able given the environmental
conditions. The rising form
seen in the elevations could
work well in my design as a
resurgent nuance to the
return of trawlerman back to
their home
Located as part of the urban
agglomeration of Quebec this
former fish processing
factory is now part of a
discovery path along the
islands coast, its layout
reminiscent of the
incinerated plant's process-
ing chains and long sorting
tables. The undulating form
represents a stormy sea
paying respect to the workers
at sea.
The strategic location of the
site allows for the building to
become meeting place,
however its surroundings lack
welcomeness, the plan of the
design was one which would
open in on itself, a soft
material palette entice viewers
into the building where they
catch views of the marina,
Eastern cedar and marine
plywood are known for their
resistance in saline
environments ensuring the
building will withstand the
harsh climatic conditions.
Elevations Floor Plan
Precedent Studies
Place Des Gens De Mer Memorial, Quebec
Bourgeois Lechasseur
13. Process Studies
Model Making of various forms
Through Modelling I
explored the spatial
arrangement of my archive,
my initial response situated
in the centre of
Alexandra Docks had a
geometric, symetrical layout,
I explored changes in level
with two central courtyard
rooms, one elevated in
water and the other
sunken, the archive was
accessed via a projected
rope bridge.
The second phase model
was situated underneath the
Corporation Bridge, this
explored the notion of
journey with a focus on
the visitors experience of
the names and connection
to water. Yet the archive
space remained unresolved.
The third phase
solidifies the design and
access to the archive,
parasitically centred against
the existing bridge columns
the archive space sits
underneath the dock water
level.
14. Process Studies
Names of Lives Lost
The attribution of names of
the 3000 men whise lives
were lost at sea shall
encompass as a
continuous ribbon the
perimeter and interior
transitional zones of my
design, through their united
sacrifice these men
contributed to the success
of Grimsby, each name,
irrespective of rank, age or
creed is connected to his
neighbour. Their
immortalised return to
Grimsby waters is finally
complete.
The construction of the
names shall make use of
scrap trawler steel,
smelted down and reshaped
into the written cast, this
result shall provide a
robust outer structure, the
apertures in the names
allowing for light to pass
through and shadows to
form, the gente ripple of
the dock water reflecting
the names shall offer a
sincere commemoration to
those lost.
15. Process Studies
Mechanical Engine Turns Once More
Engine Room Components
Residing underneath the
pivot floor of the
watchtower lies the
mecanical engine room, this
device turns the pivot floor
of the watchtower audibly
resembling the clinks and
chugs of a trawlers engine
room. The impressive
machineary can be
visited by the viewers and
seen from the dockside
though the large glazed
window entiing people to
explore.
An often overrlooked aspect
of sailing the engine room
pays homage to the men
who sail below, by
bringing the room to
water level it can be
explored and admired in its
mecanical marvelry.
16. Process Studies
Watchtower Cladding
The external cladding of
the watchtower holds an
important aesthetic
function to encourage
viewers into the building
whilst maintaining strength
in the moisture environ-
ment. I experimented with
wooden vertical cladding
with a copper paint wash
this oxidisation effect would
resemble rust on the
trawlers and age the
building helping it blend
into the surroundings, The
use of copper was also
incorporated into another
cladding model, the
overlapping timber and
copper tiles replicating the
shimmer of fish scales, the
streaked staining of the
copper would trickle down
the timber creating unique
patterns.
17. Process Studies
Views from the Building
This interactive model based
on a ships navigating wheel
shows the key views which
can be seen from the
archive building and
watchtower, the user steers
the wheel just like the
viewers to the building
would do to navigate the
turning of the pivot floor
this directs to various views
around the site notably the
Dock Tower, Alexandra Mill
and Corporation Bridge.
Each anchored clipper holds
the polaroid with a
description of the related
view.
The interactive features of
the design are to
encourage a younger
generation to take interest
in the history of their town,
the watchtower acts as a
beacon connecting the town
centre to its maritime past
whilst steering the way for
a prosperous future.
18. This sectional model
explores the relationship
between the submerged
archive and the
commemorative pillars. The
importance of structures
below the surface is
highlighted with the pillars
rooting to the dock floor
extended underwater to
pay homage to the sunken
trawler boats lying
somewhere in the depths of
the ocean. The distance of
the pillars from two
reference points within the
building relates to
favourite fishing grounds
of the Grimsby fishermen
some as far as 2500 miles
away, the corresponding
pillar being 25 metres from
the archive.
The submergence of the
archive aims to give views
a sense of being under-
water, the calming dappled
light from the diffused light
passing through provides a
suitable atmosphere for the
typology.
Process Studies
Archive & Commemorative Pillars
22. the dock level to see how it
fits
A lightweight
sedum roof
system comprising
of native plants
shall be used for
the chapel, this will
create a pleasent
view from the
bridge level whilst
contributing to the
biodiversity.
A shingle system
of wooden and
copper slates shall
be applied to the
tower and sloping
ramp exterior, this
shall settle into the
landscape and age
the building react-
ing with the moist
surrundings
The 10 pillars
commemorating the
lost vessels and
respective dis-
tance from Grims-
by shall be cast
of Corten steel,
the inaccesibility of
these highlights the
longing for return.
Section cut
Scale 1:100
