Shape Architecture has recently commissioned a photographer to revisit the Eco Shed in London and record its progress over the last year and a half. This is of particular interest given the incorporation of a rubble roof and the use of many other reclaimed and recycled materials.
A Sustainable Building:
The EcoShed is a sustainable building. Having constructed EcoShed 001 several years previously we were very fortunate in having a client who is committed to sustainable design and wished to develop those low energy ideas previously explored at Eco shed 001. the design and construction also benefited form the inclusion of a carbon consultant and a sustainable contractor called Ecolibrium. The site for EcoShed 002 at Godolphin Park in London is also quite different to the previous site in that it is a public park, and where EcoShed 001 is quite secluded this building would be very prominent.
A Rubble Roof in London:
The rubble roof was chosen as being a park formed by bomb damage we anticipated striking rubble in the excavation and to reduce the material taken off site it was decided to re-use the bricks on the roof. This had the benefit of forming the roof which is an elevation much looked down upon in bricks that match the adjacent buildings. Additionally the roof would then start to become greener over time as birds drop seeds over it and it also formed a natural development from the EcoShed 001 roof.
A Recycled Architecture:
In addition to the rubble roof, numerous reclaimed and recycled elements have been utilized. A series of recycled doors have been used for cabinetry, recycled vinyl to the floor, recycled sink and various recycled cladding materials.
A Building in the Park:
As the planting has taken and the rubble roof is starting to become greener, the building sits ever better in its corner of the park. The architecture also included external ramps and steps and as these elements weather alongside the cladding then the composition improves.
The EcoShed over Time:
It is clear that the building is weathering well and components such as the rubble roof have been very successful. The timber decking that helped define the footprint of the building is in excellent condition. We await more plant growth over the steel fence, which over time will become largely planted leaving the edge of the canted roof visible.
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