Charissa Turner





The Home
University for the Creative Arts
2020


An alternative collection of co-living homes in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This collection of dwellings aims to reintroduce the rhythms and active patterns back into life. Interwoven is a questioning of space and structure to encourage subtle co-existence.

This project is located in the centre of Canterbury, Kent, on a rarely used parking area for visitors of the neighbouring hotel. The site is close by to the busy highstreet, where during the morning and late afternoon/evening hours is a place of fast-paced movement by commuters and workers. My narrative emerged from the recognition of patterns in people’s daily lives, and subsequently the loss of the patterns due to the consequences of Covid-19.

Elements of the design include a shared classroom for home-schooling with entrances from two semi-detached dwellings, implementing modest co-living. Additionally, a series of flint stone and mortar archways, traditional to Canterbury’s heritage, that represents the reintroduced rhythms alongside humans’ correspondence with them.
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Exploded axonometric indicating flow through mezzanine levels
Internal render with curtains used for gentle division
Conceptual sketch - guided by orientation points and patterns
Aerial view
Large windows allow for all hours of daylight to flood this open internal space
Flint archways layed out in a grid creates ephemeral social spaces
Conceptual sketch - directing flows
Ground, first and second floor plans with shared teaching space
Simple section looking west showing mezzanine levels
Internal visualisation of shared classroom space
Masterplan across wider town
Conceptual sketch
Conceptual sketch - influenced by original grid pattern of Canterbury