45 degrees
How can we design a space purely responding to the specific needs of scoliosis rehabilitation?
Chosen Site:
Canal Warehouse, Nottingham
Canal Warehouse is an industrial building that is situated between the canal and Canal Street, within the Canal Concervation Area. It is a walking distance from the train and bus stations and conveniently close to Nottingham’s city centre.
History of Canal Warehouse
Figure 34
Grade II listed building
The Fellows Morton and Clayton offices and warehouse were completed in 1894 on a site leased from the Nottingham City Council. Being built by a national water carrying company, the buildings represent an important trade that was once popular in the area, and are a rare case where both the office spaces and the industrial building remain intact. The styling of the warehouse reminds of earlier times that came before its construction in 1895, mainly because of its simple utilitarian style and 'M' shaped roof which were more popular in the mid-19th century.
The offices have both gothic and classical features, which makes them rather showy, on a first glance maybe even tasteless: trying to compete in posture with the taller surrounding buildings. However, these very traits make the pair of building stand out and be well visible despite the size shortage. The attached warehouse also adds distinctiveness. A set of separately listed gates and gate piers at the front of the warehouse have the similar over-gilded quality seen in the office.
In 1980’s the warehouse was adapted to be used as Nottingham Canal Museum that has later closed in 1998. Afterwards the building was converted into a restaurant and bar that still preserves the main features of the building, such as an internal canal basin going inside the building. (Fellows, T., 2013)
All photograths are taken by Milda Danenaite on 3rd December 2014.
Buildings description:
"Brown brick with blue and yellow brick and terracotta dressings. Slate roofs. Plinth, pilasters, modillion eaves and gables. Windows are
cast-iron glazing bar casements, mostly segment-headed. 4 storeys, 4x5 bays. Double range, with gabled roofs. The building spans a short canal arm, with internal docking for 2 boats. South front, facing the canal, has to right a segmental arch over the dock, and to left, 2 windows. Above, regular courses of 4 windows, the fourth floor windows round-arched. Above again, a name panel, and 2 gables with round windows. Right return has on the ground floor a full width steel framed canopy covering a loading platform and double sliding doors. Central
segment-arched loft doors on each floor, flanked by 2 windows. Rear, to Canal Street, similar to the south front, with 2 ground floor windows and doors. INTERIOR: largely original, has wooden beams and floors carried on cast-iron columns, now with fire resistant coating. King post truss roofs." (English Heritage, 2014)
Historical Maps of Canal Warehouse
1880s-1970s
Historic maps availaible at: http://digimap.edina.ac.uk/ancientroam/historic [Accessed 25th January 2015]
Historical maps analysis
The historical maps show that in the 1880s the plot of land at the canal side was empty and there was only a canal basin going into the existing site area. This suggests that the warehouse was built between 1880s and 1900s period. From the 1880s map it is clear that the whole canal side area is disused and not used to its full potential. This could have happened because of the 'most distressing catastrophe' in 1818 September 28th, when a ton of gunpowder unloaded at the companies’ wharf near the Wilford Street had exploded, damaging surrounding buildings between the canal side and the market place. (Hemingway, Y. G., 1989)
Looking at the 1900s map, there is a lot of change taking place in the infrastructure of the city. On the right there is a new tram line going through the city and there are a lot more new buildings surrounding the area. Canal warehouse appears at the map as well, back then built for The Fellows Morton and Clayton Company. In the next 70 years the site has not evolved much, just the canopy terrace was built as an addition to the building. However, the surrounding neighbourhood had developed and a few of residential parts were turned to hold car parks. In addition, Saw Mills and Lace Factory were demolished and also turned into a car park.
Infrastructure of Nottingham
Availaible at: http://www.thebigwheel.org.uk/maps/big-track/ [Accessed 25th January 2015]
This Nottingham City Infrastructure map helps me to get a bigger picture of transport links and importance of River Trent and Nottingham Canal.
Planning Permission
I have accessed planning permission plans from Nottingham City Council website for Canal Museum to be converted to a bar/restaurant and offices.
Planning permission officer N. Turpin in his Committee Report mentions that even though it is a downside that a museum is lost on the other hand this proposal for the bar/restaurant will make the site more accessible for the people to enjoy the canal dock. Points raised about the outside seating and parking were accepted and this will let larger amount of people to visit the site and enjoy the dock. (Turpin, N., 1999)
Planning permission issued drawings for conversion can be seen below.
Turpin, N., 1999. Committee Report. Availaible at: http://publicaccess.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/online-applications/files/DE34915E5A653E53765FAF3C2084E394/pdf/99_01620_PFUL3--83144.pdf [Accessed 15th January 2015]
Ground, 1st & 2nd Floor
Sections
At the moment existing
Plans availaible from Nottingham City Council planning permission website [Accessed 15th January 2015]
Site Model
Building's site model cut through a ground floor plan showing the main feature - canal basin going through to the inside of the building.
Scale 1:100
 Plan View |  East Side View |  East Side View |
|---|---|---|
 West Side View |  South Side View |  North Side ViewDisabled access entrance |
Sun Paths
Bellow are the images of sunpaths on the Canal Warehouse site during all four seasons. I gathered images of four months - January, April, July, and September.
Sun path maps availaible at: http://suncalc.net/#/52.9482,-1.1486,18/2015.01.27/11:00 [Accessed 27th January 2015]
These images indicate the sun paths on the site from the sunrise (yellow line) to sundown (red line) and at midday (orange line). The building is fortune to have its main windows to the south facing canal side, where there is sunlight throughout the year. All main entrances to the building are located on the east side where there is most sunlight in the morning. Rest of the windows and disabled access is situated on the north side of the building with less sunlight and mainly a shadow overlapping the car park at the back. The site is less fortune during winter months as the amplitude of the sun path is narrow, but there is plenty of sunshine through the summer. Autumn and spring have pretty similar sun path pattern.