Bursledon Brickworks Semester Two Scheme - Site Plan

As part of its remit as an education centre focusing on sustainability by traditional practice, the site must be able to demonstrate a holistic and integrated solution to re-use and production that is evident both in the activities the centre provides for resident students and occasional users and in the general . This general sense of sustainability through re-use and traditional skills would operate on both a small and large scale, using products that are produced and/or recycled from the site or the immediate surrounding area. For example timber, animal and plant food products and compost on the one hand would be produced on site, whilst other raw materials such as stone, clay and raw composting materials would be sourced locally where necessary.

The strategy for the site itself involves dividing the area into stratified bands, representative of the industrial landscape that exists prior to the later half of the C20th. This also resulting in a pleasing fusion of post industrial and pre industrial, natural landscape that presents a synthesis between the two polemics. This format also allows a range of uses to be accommodated and appreciated as the visitor moves through the site.

Specific areas for food growing, woodland, larger sale events, recycling, animal grazing and recreation are provided as well as the Brickworks itself, which constitutes the main processing part of the site. Acting counter to this horizontality a central 'spine' comprising a colonnaded walkway spans the entire site from the community recycling and composting at the south east point to boat storage on the River Hamble at the most north westerly extents. This spine also becomes a bridge over the sunken market gardens and terraced orchard and also expands at various points to provide activity and recreational shelters, storage and other facilitates such as the community recycling point.

Existing routes reconnect the site central site to the nature reserve to the north and the local community would be encouraged to engage and use the site. However ultimately because of its geographical location the site has to provide a self sustaining, partially inward looking solution in order to function effectively and efficiently, including establishing its own community.