A Palace for the people of Catford
My project is located in Catford in Lewisham on a corner site between a busy market street and the sports field of a private school. Drawing my inspiration from the Shibaura office building by Kazuyo Sejima my project is composed of two similar volumes: one solid and one transparent. I also drew inspiration from the site’s division of solid and transparency in the desity of buildings. The volumes are both 20m x 30m and 20m high. The transparent volume is made of glass and steel and the solid volume of timber. They are connected by a metal balcony structure that provides circulation and a view over the sports field.
The solid building contains a 12 metre high room supported by four columns and 2-metre-deep beams and is intended for theatre, performance, dance and indoor sports. As well as being solid, the volume is inward looking. For this reason, the only source of light comes from high up via large windows between the ends of the deep beams. The undercroft below this room offers a covered outdoor space for markets or just a space to gather. The transparent building has three identical floors and could easily accommodate offices, a gym, classrooms, workshops, a library or many other programmes.
