AQUATICS CENTRE
A visualisation of the entrance to the centre, and the new high street. Tools used: Photoshop, Sketch-Up basic lines and shadows, Layout.
Cover page of project. Tools used: Photoshop.
Showing interaction of the beach walk and the building. Tools used: Photoshop, Sketch-Up basic lines and shadows, Layout. (Vray not required.)
A visualisation of the entrance to the centre, and the new high street. Tools used: Photoshop, Sketch-Up basic lines and shadows, Layout.
This is a third year project. The seaside town of Sheerness on Sea has a multitude of urban issues including the design of the overbearing sea wall defence. The sea wall creates a divide between the once picturesque coast and the high street activity. A lot of trouble lies with reconnecting culture and heritage with the existing high street, existing pool and the beach itself.
The task is to create new urban propositions: to improve links, activity and bring life back to the town. An Aquatics centre is also required to replace the an outdated swimming pool near the wall. Through the new propositions, the town will be able to thrive and grow as a tourist attraction and economically, as well as improve the quality of life.
BRIEF
CONCEPT
The concept of this project is based around uniting family, heritage and culture with current urban strategies through Sheerness on Sea. Currently, Sheerness on Sea suffers from a division of symbols. What was once great in the 1950's and very popular among those visiting has now died down into a town declining in jobs, appeal and ambition. The introduction of large corporations within the area did create jobs, but took away from the image and culture of Sheerness, leading to large parts of the coastal area going towards the Port industry, or local business was lost to Tesco and McDonald's to name the biggest of a few brands.
​
To solve this, a positive addition towards the local community and the chance to reinvent the heart of the town, was needed. To create harmony with the site a whole, and increase the attractiveness as a tourist attraction, one must look to towns where this is already successful. Many of these towns or high streets are pedestrianised, and this really enables the community to be given more freedom to search as well as be given clear directions and route to travel through. These routes involve the Train station as its starting node, to create a comfortable circulation which starts through the opened up yet extended High street.
​
The Aquatics centre itself aims to bring family and culture together. At the heart of the new high street, it provides solid and easy links to the beach and the pier. Overall , the high street is designed to not only give local businesses a chance to flourish among the many commercial locations, but for the local community to also contribute within the market square, with produce grown in the local allotments. The schemes promote local business, health and education as a whole. By extracting the essence of what had once existed in Sheerness, I was able to devise a humane conceptual upgrade towards revitalising a town on the verge of decline.