Transformation of SAINSBURY CENTRE (Foster+Partners)
Norwich, Great Britain
Collaboration with Feyza Sayman, Weronika Kessler and Yu-Pin Chiu
Curated by Prof. Dr. Ignacio Borrego
Concept
2019 | 2020
Collaboration with Feyza Sayman, Weronika Kessler and Yu-Pin Chiu
Curated by Prof. Dr. Ignacio Borrego
Concept
2019 | 2020
What can be done with an existing building if you want to implement a new function there, eg. accommodation?
In this case, is it possible to preserve its typological elements? This study was conducted using the example of the Sainsbury Center.
Sainsbury Residential Cluster assigns new functions to existing Sainsbury Centre by following its distinct typological features. The building is kept at the same location, while introducing housing units for students of University of East England, residential facilities such as living rooms and a shared kitchen, sports facilities and a communal garden. The new functions are broken down into ‘private’ and ‘public’ activities. Making full use of the structural envelope -which is almost 3 meters wide- private and technical activities are housed within the steel triangular trusses; whereas public activities are explicitly distributed over the vast open space.
The main typological elements of the building are carried a step further. External aluminum cladding is split into two fragments; creating an intimate inner garden surrounded by the exact same structure. This garden separates more residential public functions from exhibition and sports areas without disturbing the internal open space. Housing units and bathrooms are inserted into structure of the roof as single prefabricated cubicles. The cubicles are connected to the ground within the double layered panels inside the structure as a part of services and installations. The skylights are stretched out in order to provide lighting to cubicles and ground level. A sports field with tribunes for spectators together with a large exhibition hall constitutes the public uses of the program. Enclosed rooms give the possibility to increase the surface area and make use the buildings height within the single space. A large shared kitchen and living or study rooms are more residential uses.
Sainsbury Residential Clusters works as a machine for living. While keeping the sleeping areas, technical and service spaces at the minimum size and inserting them into the buildings structure, the public functions are spatially maximized. The building is turned into a container of unconstrained, flexible use.
