Hereward Leathart
F.I.G.I. - Future Innovative Growth Institute // Rothesay - Isle of Bute
Rothesay is the principal town on the Isle of Bute and was a Victorian seaside destination with people coming ‘Doon the water’ from Glasgow. It is in need of regeneration and has a scheme to restore the pavilion, but why stop there?
Formerly Rothesay Academy, this late 1950s listed building now sits derelict and potentially dangerous due to structural issues. The building was listed for its innovative material use, so the project maintains this ideology and express’ the function of the building through unique materials utilising modern methods. This project will be a test bed for future farming. It looks at diversifying farming by using technological innovation to smaller scale farming production, and bring tourism back to the area. It will achieve this by 3D printing compost and other organic materials as an alternative to the current plastic-dominated approach of vertical farming.
The project looks at collecting food waste from the urban areas on Bute and organic matter from farms, and processing this waste on the island, which currently a proper lacks food waste management infrastructure. This converted food waste will provide compost to the local area and support a more sustainable island food system. The 3 zones of the building fit with the existing form and led to 3 different experiences for the building - a 2-minute “Spectacle”, a 20 minute Learning “Experience” and a 2-hour “Doctrine”. These time frames inform the function and flow of the building.
