Roots Architecture WorkshopS

est:WOMAD FESTIVAL 2010 - 13CHARLTON PARK, Malmesbury, Wiltshire UK.

TOUCHING THE GROUND LIGHTLY:
Environmental impact is assessed and addressed throughout the workshops. RAW attempts to promote a sensitive approach to resource exploitation, by incorporating basic design and build skills with green technologies; reuse and renewables, pedal power and people power. With this, RAW aspires to demonstrate how temporary events and festivals like WOMAD can be facilitated with minimum energy consumption and waste generation. 

NOTES FROM THE FIELD: RAW#4
Working with professional designers, architects, engineers, builders and carpenters, participants are exposed to a great deal of common design and construction challenges that demand practical as well as interpersonal skills. When an idea is attempted to be physically realised, it is inevitable that an ongoing process of adopting and adapting will be feeding the building process. This was experienced by Architecture Sans Frontieres (ASF) whose structure - The Atelier - involved the construction of a rammed earth wall. The challenging situation however, seemed not only to have enriched this team’s knowledge but also maximised their determination to succeed as a team. The moment when the wall was successfully re-erected was thrilling and the team’s satisfaction could not be measured. The qualities of flexibility and adaptability were also translated spaciously accommodating multiple uses; from glass to wool rug making workshops.  

We might not always notice how much we learn when we are enthused and having fun but the reality is that because we experience learning under such positive circumstances knowledge is hatched deeper within us. Likewise, RAW takes off the pressure of high expectations concerning the ‘output’ and gives emphasis on the exploration and discovery taking place within a free, fluid and playful process. This was clearly expressed by The Playroom; an open performance stage designed and built by Architecture For Humanity (AFH). With its vibrancy the Playroom had successfully brought the artistic and cultural celebrations of WOMAD festival on the RAW site. It had an interesting chemistry with the workshops and open debates that were taking place in the Atelier and Speakeasy respectively.

On the other hand the playful process is challenged by realism; functionality and practicality. These matters had really driven CAT’s scheme The Speakeasy which was simply designed to meet certain requirements. The simplicity of design meant by no means that construction was less complex or that the atmosphere of space was lacking. Quite the opposite, The Speakeasy had witnessed the most versatile activities and moments during the festival. During the day thought-provoking talks were offered by practitioners, craftsmen and community activists followed by open debates. The topics discussed where concerned with;

Post disaster design and humanitarian architecture – how quickly life and community can be restored after a dreadful misfortune and how design can assist broken communities and enable them to flourish again.   As Katherine McNeil from AFH London explained; with small collective contributions the impact can be significant.

Self and community build - how important it is for all of us to have a sense of purpose and belonging. How shared resources can significantly reduce costs hence environmental impact and how such lifestyle reconnects us with the people and the land?

Timber. A building material for the 21st Century – how humans affiliate with trees; the most ancient living entities on Earth (Nigel Howe, Carpenters Fellowship & the AA) and how high engineering can manoeuvre natural materials in ways that give a new perspective on the ‘vernacular’.

In the afternoon dancing lessons were filling the Speakeasy's space with joy and smiles. And at night everyone would gather under its large blue and white roof to showcase their dancing moves and let everyone at WOMAD give in the RAW rhythm.

The aesthetic appeal of natural material was explored by Arkitrek who erected a very elegant bamboo structure – The Canteen. Arkitrek based their design on fluent geometry and the golden ration with the intention of manifesting a structural wilderness. The Canteen was witnessing everyday moments of sharing meals, discussions and thoughts during daytime and evening chats. Most of the topics people appeared to be most interested in, even during their leisure time, were about architectural education and the everlastingly debate about theory and practice. People seemed to be determined that a hands-on approach has the ability to enrich both education and professional development to the maximum. Some also expressed their concerns about digital work dominating not only across the professional field but also in schools of architecture. What is more there was a general agreement that valuable old-school techniques like; hand-made model making and free hand-sketching are becoming rarer every year from university walls.

The experience at RAW engages with a wide spectrum of challenges concerned  not only with design, society, education and the environment but also breaking the boundaries of our comfortable urban lives and the outside environment. This makes Roots Architecture Workshop a great summer activity, an effective team and a community that coexists and shares the joys of life and fulfilment.

Plans for RAW#5 are already taking place. If you are interested in joining the fun next year keep your eyes and ears wide open as the number of places is limited.

by Stalo Pitta