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Leeds Youth Hostel

Part 1 Project 2004
Rachel Williams
 Leeds Beckett University | UK
The Youth Hostel accommodation is orientated by the preferred view from the site; south-westerly, overlooking the River Aire and the motion of passing trains. Views of movement are encouraged; circulation includes bridges and a climbing wall.

An interest in sculptural folded forms, led me to the use of continuous surfaces, this was achieved by cladding the concrete frame in folded shards of concrete, zinc and powder coated aluminium. The shards cantilever and interlock, suggesting the collision of dynamic elements. This developed further into paintings, which describe the building as a series of folds, fragmented by shadows into greyscale planes.





Interested in all aspects of architecture, Rachel explored a wide range of techniques to investigate and clarify her ideas in this project for a river-bank Youth Hostel outside Leeds City Station.
Ingeniously planned, with a compact footprint to preserve river-views from adjacent streets, it has two entrances: one, on the riverside; another, two storeys higher at station-entrance level. It is fascinating in its composition of interpenetrating volumes and layered planes, and dynamic, craning its accommodation for a better view of the river. The climbing wall's inclusion emphasizes the intention to see the building as a single convoluted surface.
2004
The Youth Hostel is orientated to take advantage of the view down the river Aire.
Accomodation can be accessed from both lower and upper ground floor level.
Arrows describe lines of sight from the building.
Plan paintings - acrylic on stretched box canvas, showing dynamic lines of the form.
Location Plan
Upper Ground Floor Plan
Sixth Floor Plan
Photo showing black shard interlocking with grey concrete shard.
The concrete shard projects over the river to allow occupants a better view.
The form consists of three colliding shards, which reflects movement and dynamism.
South West Elevation painting; acrylic on stretched box canvas.
South East Elevation painting; acrylic on stretched box canvas.
Structural model illustrating the use of the concrete frame.
Construction detail showing the junction of the rooflight with the concrete frame and the use of a vertical louvre system.
Construction section
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