Zak Barnard

My practise predominantly revolves around sustainable design, and social factors, especially class and environmental difficulties. I always take into account a wide understanding of the area I’m designing for, with both the positive and negative aspects. When granted a site I follow this same ethos, to make the most of opportunities and the ideas on it’s impression. I was tasked to re-design and re-develop a chosen building within Chatham, Kent. Taking into account the circular economy that can be delivered from my design. My chosen site on Chatham’s dockyard, was once an Armour Plate Workshop, full of rich history as I discovered throughout my research. Maintaining and sensitively considering many factors, I intend to bring back a thriving industry for the area. Around 7,000 skilled workers lost their jobs when the dockyard closed it’s gates to the manufacturing of naval boats. I have chosen many aspects to consider heavily, my concluding idea was by creating a plastics recycling factory. Allowing an experience, education, and most importantly work for Chatham’s residents. A divide between the working-class and higher was apparent, so helping to promote work opportunities and improving their town’s streets, became paramount. To bring back this sense of pride for the dockyard, that had evidently been lost, when talking to existing residents. A plastics recycling factory brings a multifaceted approach to growth, by cleaning the streets/river, whilst boosting the areas economy. All produced recycled plastics creates a Chatham specific brand, made by the people, for the people, and a positive wide spread identity to the area. The two areas targeted: improving waste management, and providing jobs, helps to slowly irradicate expensive waste collection in the area, as well as opportunities to educate people in skilled crafts. This design will not fully irradicate all issues, but will still give a voice to the people and bring back more of a specific identity to their area.