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Dean Wood

BArch

My interest in sustainable and innovative design were foundational in my final year design projects. As a part of the Prototype Lab, all projects were set in the year 2050, enabling freedom in both design and sustainable innovation.

Visual showing the West facade from across the Guadalquivir River.

Aqua Porta: Graduation Project

Aerial view showing the building between two recognised landmarks in Seville, the bull ring and Torre del Oro.

Set in the year 2050, this project focuses on two primary issues in Seville, Spain. A reliance on tourism, a reduction in permanent residents, and a lack of employment have led to economic fragility in the area. In the past, Seville’s decline was twice rescued by expositions, first in 1929, and most recently in 1992. This project acknowledges the 63-year interval by imagining Seville hosting another expo 63 years after the previous one, in the year 2055. As a result, the proposed architecture creates a new expo-worthy landmark along the Guadalquivir River.

In addition, the effects of global warming have led to a desertifying climate, making Seville comparable to the Kalahari in 2050. Just like the Almohads that inhabited the western Mediterranean in the 12th century, the project has a focus around water as a scarce and valuable resource, and one that should be preserved rather than dwindled. In its function, the project combines research and leisure to create a typology that is completely water-autonomous, aiming to demonstrate how architecture can function without the need to draw from the Guadalquivir basin.

Concept artwork showing three routes leading to reservoir depletion, residents leaving, and food shortage, and one leading to water security.
Concept model showing two channels, one that is dry and lifeless, another with flowing water and plants growing.

The concept metaphorises this project as a gate to water security. It proposes that all other paths lead to water shortage and failure, however, through this project and its water-autonomous methods, water security can be realised.

1:1000 Site Plan.
1:1000 Site Plan
1:200 West Elevation, showing the building's four towers.
1:200 West Elevation
1:200 Section AA cutting the building on the long axis.
1:200 Section AA
1:50 Perspective section detail cutting along the short axis, showing the Guadalquivir River and Torre Sevilla in the background.
1:50 Perspective Section Detail
Visual of the arrival hall with a large window looking over the Guadalquivir River.
Arrival Hall: The first impression with a view of the Guadalquivir River.
Interior visual of the indoor baths, a place of refuge from the desert of Seville in 2050. Strobes of sunlight beam in from the top right into a space full of archways and plunge pools.
Indoor Baths: A place of refuge from the desert heat of Seville in 2050.
Storyboard image showing the building arching over the public realm.
Public Realm
Storyboard showing the cafe space with stairs up to a mezzanine.
Cafe
Storyboard image of the boat workshop with a boat docked and researchers going about their business.
Boat Workshop
Storyboard image showing the auditorium with large windows at the front.
Auditorium
Visual looking onto the public walkway with the black tiled building on the right and boat exiting the workshop on the river.
Public Walkway: Interacting with the waterfront.
Visual showing the building during the expo at night, with fireworks and a drone display in the background.
Expo at Night: A landmark built for the 2055 Seville Expo.
Visual from across the river showing the West elevation of the building with its four large towers.
West Facade: View from across the Guadalquivir River.

Bioduct: Final Year P2 Project (Sheffield, UK)

Narrative sketch showing Sheffield's progression from 61% green space now to no more greenbelt in 2050.

It’s 2050 and quality, safe garden, park, and greenbelt space is no more. As a result, mental health and physical health is worse than ever. The solution: immerse green into the home to rewrite community urban greening.

Concept artwork showing a dark, cold concrete wall with a doorway to a vast open green space.
Concept model showing three blocks, two solid resembling the sensory-malnourished society, and one showing green emerging from the cracks, signifying the building.
Concept model photo showing a person within one of the cracks, showing their experience with the greenery.

The concept positions the project as a means to sensorially re-nourish its occupants. The architecture sits among the sensory-malnourished architecture in Netherthorpe, Sheffield, and seeks to invite biodiversity into the residential typology.

External visual showing the green metal facade on the west elevation, with climbers growing up it.
West Facade: Green spaces are disguised from the exterior.
Aerial photo of 1:200 physical model made from foam, plywood, balsa wood, metal mesh, and a 3D printed roof.
1:200 Physical Model
Top view of the physical model.
Image of the north elevation of the physical model.
Image of a facade study model demonstrating how plants are able to climb up the metal frame.
Facade Study: The metal facade allows climbers to grow up the North and West elevations.
Perspective section showing the various garden spaces and environmental considerations, including good daylighting, rainwater harvesting, and natural ventilation.
Section: Garden Spaces and Harnessing The Environment.
Visual of the central garden space where the occupants of the building commune. Biodiversity corridors can be seen through glass on either side.
Central Garden Space
Visual looking into a small garden space on the second floor.
Visual looking into one of the biodiversity corridors.
Visual from one of the glass bridges looking onto a biodiversity corridor.
Visual showing a small garden space at the end of a corridor, creating a moment of pause.
Visual looking through a window at the end of the kitchen, connecting both occupants with a small garden space.

At various points within the building, framed windows onto green spaces allow moments for pause.

Design Interventions: Refining Bioduct

1:50 Perspective section detail highlighting the addition of a small garden space on the second floor.

After further investigation, this intervention (highlighted in red) is introduced into Bioduct. It seeks to unlock the an area of the scheme that is more nature-deprived. This strengthens the project concept to ‘sensory re-nourish’, it also encourages further serendipitous connections to nature and wildlife, whilst tackling daylighting issues associated with the deliberately private North elevation. This is shown in the 1:50 perspective section to the left.

1:20 Floor plan of the intervention.
1:20 Intervention Floor Plan: A triangular section is cut from the existing building fabric, creating a new garden space, living wall, and moment for pause.
1:10 Section detail of the junction between the small garden green roof and the living wall.
1:10 Intervention Detail
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