Saturday, July 23, 2011

Welham Studios : By Mark Merer

Welham, Somerton, Somerset, England
Mark Merer
Post By:Kitticoon Poopong
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Welham Studios started with the study of placement, watching objects in clay and sand creating shapes through the interaction of the wind and rain. The work is looking for a union of object and environment.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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One aspect of the work developed into the basic forms using triangulation, and this work was the basis of a project with the Swinomish Tribal people of Fidalgo Island Washington State.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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The Swinomish housing project which has become known as Landhouse started in 2006 It was a visit to my studio by a couple who lived in Seattle. They became interested in the work being done, its physical relationship with the ground and how it translated into a building.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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The Pennock’s saw an opportunity to connect myself with an Architect friend of there’s, Art Peterson of Cedar Tree Architects in Seattle, who had been working with Ray Williams of the Swinomish Tribal People of Fidalgo Island Washington State, they had just completed the building of a Traditional long House.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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They had been discussing the current housing situation on Fidalgo Island which is a long way from the beliefs and traditions of the Swinomish and bore no resemblance to their surroundings. The houses are currently designed and placed regardless of the Landscape and their Traditions.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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A meeting was organized and out of it came the idea to develop an environmentally sensitive scheme for an allocated development area and Landhouse was born. The structures were refined and developed into module units comprising of Elder, Student, Single family, Vacation, Multifamily and community facilities.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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I came back to the UK and decided to build one which is now almost completed and due to be opened in the spring of next year. This has become Welham Studios that my wife Artist Lucy Glendinning and I work from.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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The building is constructed in structurally insulated panels using the factory in Seattle that was involved in the Swinomish project; this was to be a test for the modular units.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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We used thermoform 3ply cladding that came in 5m by 2m sheets. The roof is a EPDM membrane with a inbuilt root barrier, a 100mm substrate with a wild flower turf.
Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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Photo © Courtesy of Louis Porter
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We are know looking for Partners to set up a US wide Research program for developing designs in the Landscape with Tribal communities in collaboration with Landhouse.
location--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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lower floor plan--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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upper floor plan--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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north elevation--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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east elevation--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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south elevation--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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west elevation--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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sketch--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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sketch--drawing © Courtesy of Mark Merer
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The people
Architect: Mark Merer
Location: Welham, Somerton, Somerset, England
Consultant Architect: Art Peterson
Engineering: John Beverage
Budget: £350,000
Project Year: 2008-2009
Photographs: Louis Porter


Note>>Location in this map, It could indicate city/country but not exact address.