RGU students explore innovative ‘Future Communities’ at public exhibition

The ‘Future Communities’ exhibition will take place at the Anatomy Rooms, from Friday May 17 – 19, when 29 students from RGU’s Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment will display their work to the public.

The exhibition will feature high definition images and models of the projects and the students will deliver a series of presentations on their work, answering questions and taking feedback from the public.

Student Patrick Harris has created a sustainable energy solution for the centre of Aberdeen Harbour in the form of a hydrogen production system which is coupled with public baths which act as community space.

Patrick commented: “With the world on the brink of global warming we fast need sustainable solutions to many of life’s problems.

“It is not so simple as sticking a couple of PV panels on the roof of a building but instead we need integrated design to tackle many aspects at once while providing architecture that penetrates the public consciousness to emphasise the problems and the solutions.”

Hugh Fish, also a final year student, has developed an urban living complex which gives residents plenty of green space to relax.

“As city life becomes increasingly hectic and communal pleasures more varied, it seems more than ever that one should have a place into which they can retreat; somewhere quiet where they have time to think and can enjoy and refresh themselves by re-establishing contact with nature.

“The benefits of having a garden are vast and multifaceted, yet much of the UK’s current inner-city housing stock does not provide any opportunity for gardening, yet alone having a garden.

“My project is designed for people with a local connection and it provides an invitation to garden in the heart of the city.”

Chester Kendell’s vision is for a new museum, situated at the entrance into Stromness, creating a pedestrian link between the industrial harbour and the historical high street.

“The museum is designed to spiral the visitor up above Stromness town,” he said.

“The architecture catches important moments within the town and frames them as if part of the exhibition, creating moments of pause, grounding the viewer back into the town. The top floor of the museum, with its low hanging timber structure, timber walls, top light and density of stuff, becomes an attic for Stromness.”

Professor David McClean, Head of the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture & Built Environment, added: “The exhibition is a welcome opportunity to display and present the innovative work of our students in the public domain, and to share the depth of research and consideration that underpins each project. It is important for a School such as ours to share ideas about our future environment, and in doing so hopefully stimulate discussion and debate, whilst illustrating the professionalism of those about to graduate.”

Future Communities will open at The Anatomy Rooms on Friday, May 17, at 7pm. The exhibition will be open Saturday and Sunday, from 10am – 5pm, with presentations taking place throughout the day on Saturday.