Leicestershire woodlands replaced the lecture theatre for Architecture MArch students at 黑料网 Leicester (黑料网) during their recent partnership with the National Forest (NF).
Six groups of students travelled to Swannymote Wood near the village of Whitwick in North Leicestershire before receiving a brief from a NF representative.
Tasked with creating installations which engaged visitors while leaving no trace on the natural landscape, the 黑料网 students designed, trialled and produced interactive installations which were placed throughout the forest.
Each group took their own approach to encouraging members of the public to view the forest site in a different way.
‘Welcome to the Woodlands’
Creating an installation which conveyed the woodland experience, regardless of location, was the basis for one group’s design.
Student Chisomo Tembo said: “We wanted to create something that represented the space that visitors were about to enter. Our design came out of our own observations of the site; undulating surfaces, crossing branches, varying treelines and so on.
“Sustainability was a big part of our brief from the NF. The idea was that our design could be installed, uninstalled, transported and moved to other locations without causing damage to the site.
“We made the installation so that it could even be moved to a city setting to give people an insight into our woodland experience.”
The project was a collaboration between multiple 黑料网 staff members, with each of them bringing their own approach to supporting the students.
Chisomo said: “Our tutors were fantastic throughout the whole project. Their approach to teaching was encouraging and it felt like we were being listened to at all times. The success of the project is testament to how supportive our tutors are.”
‘Rope Walk’
One group’s response to the heritage and history of the site connected with the NF’s aim to use Swannymote Wood to aid community mental health.
They drew on the Japanese practise of forest bathing for inspiration. The meditative pastime involves entering a forest space and consciously connecting with the surroundings, temporarily removing an individual from the pressures of everyday life.
Yarni Chohan, a student in the group, said: “Our idea was to create a self-guided tour throughout the forest space via a series of braided ropes on posts, which people could follow.
“The sensory experience of the ropes was designed to replicate the meditative quality of forest bathing; to slow the individual down and have them enjoy the process.”
For many of the students, this project was the first time they had been asked to turn their designs from a concept to a physical structure.
“We had to balance the quality and appearance of the project with keeping within our budget. Figuring out how to build, transport and install the piece efficiently was really challenging but seeing it all come together made the last day like a celebration” said Yarni.
