Rotating Windshelter

Render of the proposed windshelter design.

WINNER OF RIBA, ROTATING WINDSHELTER DESIGN COMPETITION

CONCEPT

LOBSTER BOATS AND THE SCULPTURE OF ALEXANDER CALDER INSPIRED THESE ROTATING WINDSHELTERS. THEY WILL BE BUILT BY LOCAL BOAT BUILDERS, WORKING CLOSELY WITH US, USING THEIR CRAFT TO BRING TO THE PROMENADE FOUR SEPARATELY SHAPED, SCULPTURAL, TIMBER WIND-SCREENS WHICH ROTATE INTO THE WIND TO GIVE SHELTER. THE OPEN NATURE OF THE STRUCTURES ALLOW MULTIPLE VIEWINGS OUT WHILST ALSO ALLOWING SHELTER FROM INCOMING SOUTH WESTERLY WINDS. THE BEARING HAS FRICTION TO STOP IT ROTATING DANGEROUSLY. THE SEATING IS ON THE SUPPORT MAST AND ON BENCH; SITUATED ON THE INNER FACE OF THE WIND SCREEN. THIS SCREEN ALSO DISPLAYS LOCAL ARTWORKS IN A SEALED DISPLAY CASE. THE DELIGHT OF SUCH A STRUCTURE WILL MAKE SITTING BY THE BEACH IN WINTER OR SUMMER A DELIGHT ONCE LOCALLY RESERVED FOR THE PLAYGROUND OR THE BEXHILL PAVILION.

STRUCTURE

WORKING WITH COLIN JACKSON OF ARUPS THIS STRUCTURE HAS BEEN TESTED TO SHOW THAT THE AERODYNAMICS OF THE SCREEN AND THE FIN AT THE REAR RESULT IN THE STRUCTURE COMING TO A STANDSTILL IN PREVAILING WINDS AND NOT SPINNING. THE STRUCTURE WAS PROOVEN TO BE BALANCED BY THE BALLAST OF THE FIN; WHICH IS GIVEN EXTRA WEIGHT FOR BALANCE.

MATERIALS

EACH STRUCTURE IS NAMED AND BUILT WITH TIMBER IN SUCH A WAY THAT LOCALS AND VISITORS CAN BECOME ENGAGED IN THESE PLAYFUL STRUCTURES, WHICH ARE ENVISAGED GAINING CHARACTER LIKE A BOAT AS THEY AGE. THE PLEASANT AND FRIENDLY TEXTURES AND TONES OF TIMBER VARIES TO THE TOUCH AND BY CLOSELY WORKING WITH CRAFTSMEN WE INTEND TO BRING DELIGHTFUL DETAILING TO DIFFERENT CLADDING, SEATING AND WINDOW ARRANGEMENTS FOR EACH. EACH WILL HAVE ITS OWN CHARACTER YET STILL BE PART OF A SET.

SEATING AND SHELTER

EACH PAVILION CAN SEAT GROUPS OF THREE AND GROUPS OF TWO; WITH UP TO TWENTY PEOPLE AT ONE TIME STILL NOT FILLING THE SPACE OR BLOCKING VIEWS. THE NATURE OF SEASIDE WEATHER WHERE THE RAIN IS PUSHED BY THE WIND AT AN ANGLE SUGGESTED THAT THE NEED FOR AN ENTIRELY SHELTERED PERIMETER FRO SEATING WAS NOT EFFICIENT AND SO THESE SHELTERS ARE OPEN

LOCATION

THE SHELTERS WILL BE SET BACK ONTO THE GRASS VERGE OR SLIGHTLY BACKED OFF FROM THE MAIN PROMENADE BECAUSE OF THE SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN REQUESTED DEPTH OF THE PAVILIONS.

THE ROTATION

THE PRINCIPLE OF A WORKING ROTATING WINDSHELTER WAS TESTED, BUILT AND ESTABLISHED AS WORKABLE AND AFFORDABLE WHEN THE BLACKPOOL ROTATING WINDSHELTER WAS BUILT 1N 2009. THIS PROPOSAL DIFFERS ONLY TO THIS ONE IN THAT HERE A MAST SUPPORTS THE BEARING RATHER THAN BEING SET INTO THE GROUND ON A ROTATING BASE. HERE THE RUBBISH WILL NOT COLLECT IN THE RAILS OR BEARING AS IT IS ABOVE HEAD HEIGHT.

KIOSK

THESE SHELTERS WILL OFFER AN ADEQUATE PROJECT IN THEMSELVES. THE IMAGE OF FOUR TIMBER HULL STRUCTURES TURNING INTO THE WIND IN UNISON WILL BE SCENIC AND JOYFUL; MAKING THE EXPERIENCE OF WALKING ON BEXHILL’S PROMENADE INTO A MEMORABLE ONE. THE KIOSK SHOULD THEREFORE BE TREATED AS A SEPARATE PROJECT.