Untitled - Studio Shillito

Combine a Cider brewery with a shop/viewing tower.
Raise awareness and educate of this tradition.
Staff requirements;
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2 resting/sleeping/ changing areas.
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1 Washing space
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1Communal staff area including small
kitchen
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1 Office/lab/research space
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1 distilling area
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1 Storage cellar area
Visitor requirements;
4 Toilets
1 Bar/sales area
1 Display area
1 Viewing platform/tower/path
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Create space that is not wasteful, add other
requirements as appropriate
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Is there public approach?
There are multiple public approaches; cliff top walk to lift to orchard walk, open space of ferry approach, short
walk then into the dark enclosed space of the fermentation hall. Each has its own process that builds experience on
visitor experience.
Does the proposal relate to the water?
The proposal firstly protects for the high chance of flooding. View across the water are there for all external
space, contrasting with the sometimes confined internal spaces.
What is the relationship between inside space and external environment?
This site is somewhat inappropriate for the process of cider making, the proposal acknowledges this and
plays with it creating spaces that seem as if they come from somewhere else and yet are perfectly adapted to their
new home. Materials and form reflect the traditional site and new context.
How does the public experience the site and processes?
Visitor process form one space to another is carefully manipulated. Contrast from one space to another is
abundant that said, once the visitors intended location is reached few rules apply and they are free to obtain their
own private space of be involved with others.
Is there any parts of the proposal open to the elements?
All of the external walkways are very exposed with only high-pressure from the cliff to protect them. The external space where people will remain stationary is protected on all sides by the orchard walls, trees and flood defences. Rain shelter is provided by walkways.
How do proposed materials relate to the surroundings and distilling process?
The structure of the main building is timber, reflecting the traditional cider house, this material is evident in all
internal spaces and decking. External spaces and forms are industrial, taking elements from the surroundings, railings, metal. The finish also physically reflects the surroundings. This is of particular use in the orchard that would be
traditionally open. The zinc cladding opens this otherwise confined space.
http://www.multimap.com/
The site sits on a low ledge
formed by mining in the
West of Cattedown, Plymouth. The Current area is
all industrial with oil storage
and import, waste disposal
and construction material
storage. North and south
there are industrial quays.
Previously the area was a
limestone quarry used for
building and cement manufacture. There were many
archaeological finds in the
area including evidence of
prehistoric man, lynx and
elephant, subsequently the
cliff and rock is protected. Weather patterns
are typical of Plymouth with
the majority of wind travelling from then southwest up
the Sound. Because of low
altitude of the site
and proximity to
the sound there is
a risk of flooding.
Pedestrian Access from cliff top.
Boat access for the public.
Public lift ,
Raised walkways takes visitors across the site.
The lobby. Here visitors can access all levels of the site but they
are prompted towards the process walkway.
historic and contemporary context of cider making with display
boards.
A Raised walkway overlooks the cider making process.
The raised walkway takes visitors amongst the giant fermentation
vats.
The restaurant.
The bar area.
The orchard cider garden.
Stage.
Goods In.
Apples are tipped and washed down towards the hopper.
Apples are cleaned and transported to the masher on the 1st
floor by a conveyor belt.
Once mashed the pulp is gravity fed to the press.
As the apples move between the belt and rollers the juice is
squeezed out. The juice runs through the belt to a drip tray and
the pulp continues to be squeezed again.
Waste mash is used as animal feed.
The apple juice is pumped from the press to one of the ten five
thousand gallon fermentation tanks.
Fermentation takes one to two months.
From the vats cider is pumped into one ton casks. These casks
can be rolled by hand.
Casks are moved to the bar for sale.
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?
um=1&hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1G1GGLQ_E
NGB264&ndsp=18&q=burrow%20hill%
20map&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=il
http://www.ciderbrandy.co.uk/shop.html
http://www.ciderbrandy.co.uk/shop.html
http://boiteaoutils.blogspot.com/2008/12/ribas-presidents-medals-brewers-anatomy.html
Immediately I encountered a problem, one that apparently is met by professionals, lack of access to site. That
said, learning to deal with this limitation is an experience that is valuable. There are many details that can not
necessarily be found on site such as history, climate. Other aspects can be observed from afar; access, risk of
flooding and aesthetic. I also conducted a in-depth analysis of the farm in Somerset, right down to details of
how roof structure regulates internal temperature lighting topographical overviews.
Perhaps I fell into the same trap as in the Eco hall project, the building is too big. Or it can be seen another
way. 4 public toilets were asked for in the brief, I supplied many more. The reason for this over catering is
based on usage. The development of a sheltered hidden orchard seems to evolve into an auditorium and therefore it seemed daft to not take advantage especially as the feeling and memories of orchards includes social
events. If you have a packed auditorium you need lots of toilets. I feel the excessive size of the fermentation
hall can also be justified. Storage of 50,000 gallons of cider may seem excessive but the farm in Somerset produces 200,000 and their market is primarily farm shops and similar outlets. Here we are bringing the product to
a dense pollution that perhaps would not normally drink this kind of drink. If the venue becomes popular
50,000 will go in no time. Because of this large storage capability space is also needed around the vats for
maintenance, movement of casks. The really big door is so that vats can be moved with out having to take the
roof off the structure, it doubles as a door big enough to house a tipper lorry in mid tip. One detail that does
confuse me somewhat is the idea that this should be a sustainable build, why build a cider farm here, apples
don't grow, its costs more environmentally to transport apples than it does to transport fully fermented cider.
The biggest lesson I learnt is that unnecessary complexity should be avoided. An original concept of technology, sustainability had to be abandoned. Perhaps concept can be an experience. This unnecessary complexity is
also evident in the physical structure. Next time I must work hard to keep the proposal refined from the outset.