A "thinkatorium" designed for children to learn about scientific experiments and a project that explores Plymouth's history of soap making are included in Dezeen's latest school show by students at the University of Plymouth.

Also featured is a community centre that reintegrates people into their neighbourhoods through music and an observatory designed to educate about climate change.

University of Plymouth

School: University of Plymouth, School of Art, Design and Architecture
Course: Architecture
Tutors: Igea Troiani, Robert Brown, Sana Murrani, Mathew Emmett, Andy Humphreys, Ricky Burke, Michael Westley, Roy McCarty and Graham Devine

School statement:

"Architectural studies at undergraduate and postgraduate level at the University of Plymouth focuses on environmental, social, cultural and economic issues at local and global levels. We educate our graduates to be creative, critical thinkers through the production of live, real-world projects.

"Our expert researchers and practitioner-educators, and world-class facilities, support students to develop skills in design, communication, construction, historical and theoretical knowledge that is practice-centred. Our graduates are trained to be resilient, ecologically focused and civic-minded pioneers whose spatial and urban visions will better and delight all of society."

An Embedded Theatre of Convergence by Christopher Trigg

"This project aims to evoke a sense of collective identity and coming together through playful and appropriative acts of reinventing place and surface. The Manor Street Community Kitchen acts as a vessel for the acts of play and reinvention. This will enable memories of place and a sense of being and belonging."

Student: Christopher Trigg
Course: MArch – Year one
Tutors: Professor Robert Brown, Dr Mathew Emmett and Dr Sana Murrani
Email: christopher.trigg[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

The Third Space Between Chaos and Order by Joshua Earl

"Through testing the spatial boundaries within Stonehouse, this project investigates whether it is possible to design architecture in response to chaos and order. Third space creation occurs by seeking to give those who are less fortunate the opportunity to learn a craft through the construction of the building.

"Value is given to palimpsest and assemblage over time (chaos), while the renovation of the existing occurs with its historical ties to the site (order). The proposition obtains ways of blurring the interface between one space and another by embracing the collisions that occur between playful spaces of community engagement and dialogic interactions."

Student: Joshua Earl
Course: MArch – Year one
Tutors: Professor Robert Brown, Dr Mathew Emmett and Dr Sana Murrani
Email: joshua.earl-2[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

To [Re]Build A Community by Niall Hamilton

"To [Re]Build A Community focuses on combating Stonehouse's wicked problem of interrelated social, political and cultural challenges through the use of polyphonic (equal and simultaneous) responses and the service of dialogue to restitch the community.

"This approach utilises self-build architecture to engage the community, namely through kit-of-parts styled methods, simplifying the construction to encourage the community to alter and edit the proposed programmes where necessary.

"This, alongside a 25-year phasing, aims to keep the project as a bottom-up approach while the overall masterplan stretches across four different sites, working with different clients to create an aforementioned dialogue and polyphonic response."

Student: Niall Hamilton
Course: MArch – Year two
Tutors: Professor Robert Brown, Dr Mat Emmett and Dr Sana Murrani
Email: theniallhamilton[at]gmail.com

The Thinkatorium by Catriona Dodd

"The Thinkatorium gives children the opportunity to take a hands-on approach to experiments and scientific concepts. Combining the rigidity of imposed structure on the freedom of childhood being-in-the-world, the centre focuses on ocean sciences, air sciences and climate change: what has happened, what will continue to happen and why.

"Children are prioritised as the user by exploring architecture beyond the prescribed functions understood by adults. Here they find a balance between focus and distraction, where their community is established, connected across the building through a series of split levels, platforms and cutouts."

Student: Catriona Dodd
Course: BA (Hons) Architecture – Year three
Tutors: Mr Ricky Burke and Professor Igea Troiani with Andy Humphreys
Email: catriona.dodd[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

The Archive of the City by Eva Millward

"The Archive of the City situates itself on the historic site of Millbay Gaol Prison, utilising the remnants of escape tunnels beneath. The civic importance of citizenship is embodied through the cycles of birth, death and marriage through the signing of papers.

"Generations of heritage will be recorded and stored within this structure, demonstrating both social archaeology and the traumas related to the passing of a family member or friend.

"This is where we can begin to understand the words such as the uncanny and the abject. The project forms the end of the pilgrimage through the site, on a journey of regeneration and recovery, beacon to beacon."

Student: Eva Millward
Course: BA (Hons) Architecture – Year three
Tutors: Mr Andy Humphreys and Mr Graham Devine
Email: eva.millward[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

The Parallel of Change by Georgina Cameron

"The Parallel of Change is a poetic narrative of soap interrogating the resurgence of the lost memory from a waterfront ritual that was once rich in Plymouth's History, soap making and bathing.

"Key threads of presence and absence allow the memories of the Historic Soap works and Royal Union Public Baths to be reinstated and, as a result, invites a new collective to emerge over familiar ground.

"It is a reciprocal of renewal. The project understands water to be a purifying element which provides cleansing and comfort layer with a residue of fragrance and longevity of ageing that occurs."

Student: Georgina Cameron
Course: BA (Hons) Architecture – Year three
Tutors: Professor Igea Troiani and Mr Ricky Burke with Mr Andy Humphreys
Email: georgina.cameron[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

[Un]Settled Waters: A Tale of Evolving Archetypes by Harrison Lovelock

"The [Un]settled Waters Project applies the scientific backdrop of the Seagrass Conservation to the perceived understanding of nature, expressing itself as an industrial project as much as an ecological one. The project employs a series of archetypes to express the hybridisation in the development of human perception of nature whereby science is seen, not separate but rather as an integral part of nature.

"In doing so, the scientist becomes an extension of their work. The visitor is touched directly by the consequences of actions (or inaction), and the position of the resident can be understood in terms of biodiverse occupancy."

Student: Harrison Lovelock
Course: BA (Hons) Architecture – Year three
Tutors: Professor Igea Troiani and Mr Ricky Burke with Mr Andy Humphreys
Email: harrison.lovelock[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

Rhythm Works by Harry Stradling

"Rhythm Works allows community reintegration through musical learning facilities. This is done by bringing the local migrant community together and by promoting and protecting the site's hidden rhythms.

"Programmes implemented include rhythm studios, music learning facilities, a community hall, and a recycling instrument workshop which enables recycled instruments to be made and used.

"These facilities are imagined to help bring diverse communities together through music. The visual signifies the rhythmic nexus of architecture and migrant communities, and illustration work is by Rob Sato."

Student: Harry Stradling
Course: BA (Hons) Architecture – Year three
Tutors: Mr Roy McCarty, Mr Michael Westley with Mr Andy Humphreys
Email: harry.stradling[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

The Astronomer and The Sea by Sophie James

"Rooted in the thinking of Pierre Nora's le lieux de memoire, the project aims to bring status to the sea and the sky. Both under threat from climate change and pollution, the programme acts as a catalyst for a conversation surrounding our legacy.

"By day, it brings issues of climate change and destruction to the surface by teaching people of the urgency for change. By night, its lens is turned upwards. It acts as an observatory and a study of the stars by teaching people stories of the life above."

Student: Sophie James
Course: BA (Hons) Architecture – Year three
Tutors: Professor Igea Troiani and Mr Ricky Burke with Mr Andy Humphreys
Email: Sophie.james-19[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

Power and the People by William Martyn

"In a pragmatic line of enquiry 'Power and the People' frames social power through addressing local civic matters against that of sustainable power generation that would supply Plymouth with renewable tidal energy.

"The pairing of these two programmes illustrates the responsibility that those with social power have. Millbay, often characterised as Plymouth's gateway, ushers in travellers from all over the world. The proposal's essential inspiration were the pump houses set on the Cornish moorland."

Student: William Martyn
Course: BA (Hons) Architecture – Year three
Tutors: Professor Igea Troiani and Mr Ricky Burke with Mr Andy Humphreys
Email: william.martyn[at]students.plymouth.ac.uk

Partnership content

This school show is a partnership between Dezeen and the University of Plymouth. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.