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London Gliding Club

Part 2 Project 2008
Elliott Wingfield
 Oxford Brookes University Oxford | UK
Here I propose the briefing rooms and concourse, in which visitors are introduced to the phenomenon of flight at the London Gliding Club, Dunstable. My architecture is inspired by observations of the busy aerodrome, it's powerful wind currents and the dynamics of glider flight; the form evolves from the weightless, but energised movement of gliders interweaving through the skies.

An array of structurally integrated wind cowls, resolved through parametric scripting procedures, are programmed to face the prevailing wind direction on site; these provide both continual ventilation and a natural patch of texture, nestling into the foot of the hill.



The project focused on the theme of wind, from the design and fabrication of a site installation to record the mystery of the wind, to a mobile control tower to communicate this wind effect and finally to a proposal for the resettlement of the London Gliding Club.

Elliott and his colleagues designed and made a ‘windicator’, which was transported about the site to record the nuances of the wind patterns and its direction and power. These measurements were then translated into a strong graphic representation illustrating the wind movement and revealing a unique reading of the site.

For the control tower, Elliott proposed an elegant and innovative mobile structure. The structure encapsulated the in between world between the promise of flight and communication with the ground.

These explorations lead to an imaginative and fluid resettlement of the gliding facilities, with the hangers nestling into the protected base of the escarpment and the main club facilities acting as a marker in the landscape. The clubhouse manages to act both as an anchor and indicator to the movement patterns across the site and through the representation of the main wind flows, reflects the skyward aspirations of the visitors.

Elliott’s work is distinguished by clarity of concept with a real feel for refinement and elegance. The projects reveal a high level of technical exploration and innovation communicated through excellent physical models and evocative graphic images.

Tutor(s)
Mr David Grindley
Ms Sarah Stevens
2008
'A Cloudy Day' Aerial view from a glider, showing the LGC Club headquarters and hangar building nestling into the landscape.
'Poised' A representation and description of the 'control tower' concept, an excercise which began to inform my architecture.
'Gust' A Representation of the wind through Dunstable Downs. Readings were taken at points using the 'windicator'- our sensitive wind-measurement device. These were plotted to bars, then graphs, then a light surface...
'Constable Downs' A landscape, the LGC.
'Groundwork' Plan concept development showing beginning site geometries and the gravity of the corner.
'Elevation' The headquarters building presses against the ground, 'lifting-off' to launch visitors into the skies on their visit to the club.
'Takeoff' An interim concept sketch showing how the dynamism of wind currents might be expressed in structure.
'Concourse' An internal representation of structure, surface and programme.
'Ejection' A focus on the corner of the headquarters building, showing the bank, the turn and the exit.
'Breakdown' A dissection of the hangar structure 'layers'. The composition is made using parametric design software in which I was able to programme how the modules respond to changes in the grid's topography.
'Texture' A sample of the resolved roof structure, showing in detail the various configurations the cowls take to orient themselves correctly over the surface.
'An Internal Landscape' A snapshot of the view across the airfield from the hangar. An idea of how beautifully the landscape could be framed.
'Slice' The meeting of the hillside with the hangar in section. An illustration of suggested construction and structural integration.
'Undulation' A reverse elevation of point at which landscape meets architecture. The hidden rear balcony, as it penetrates through to the hangar space.
'Flight' The balcony. Dusk.
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