The Fearann Loch Centre has been designed as an inclusive place for education. It focuses on the importance of the site at Holyrood park in Edinburgh, and it’s surrounds. Making an emphasis on the extraordinary significance of the natural world at the site as well as the role human history that has played a role in the forming of the site. The design has been split into 3 structures, the main building, Including the library, an operational walkway and a story telling retreat. This designs acts as an extension to the Olinda Hut project. These 3 structures take people on a journey through the site following ideas from Calvino’s narrative Olinda. The Fearann Loch Centre combines ideas of concentric circles and growth with Scottish precedents such as stone circles and archaeology. The center represents subtly opposing opposites, displaying that there are always two haves at play, yet they can balance in harmony together.
Fearann Loch Centre
Academic / 2021 / Individual Project
The main building has been formed in an ellipse shape, inspired by the concentric circles of the Olinda narrative. The ellipse which appears to dip into the loch’s edge. Connecting people to the natural elements of the site through a man-made form, confirming the harmony that lies within the human and nature relationship.
The journey between the two buildings can be taken in two different ways, by walking through the civic building, out the other side and then following the path beside the loch to reach the story telling retreat. Alternatively, by moving aboard the operable walkway. The walkway detaches from the main building, pivots and floats towards the story telling retreat. The journey through the loch really makes the story telling area feel separate and withdrawn. The physical movement of the walkway displays a sense of growth and change within the design capturing the essence of the city of Olinda. The floating experience allows people to view a familiar site from a different point and causes a sense of stillness on this moving transfer.
Lastly the journey brings people to the story telling retreat, a separate building on the other side of the loch which can accommodate over 50 people for events of all sorts. But most importantly this building is a sharing space, for the wider community to reconnect with each other. The central fire pit brings not only physical warmth but psychological warmth in a gathering setting. It is placed at the front of the design to be attractive and inviting.