The Live Project was a unique collaboration between the University of Sheffield and the ‘Save Portland Works’ Group.
We are a group of twelve architecture students investigating strategies for an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable future for Works. We worked throughout October 2011 on site.
We showed our work at the Works Open Day on the 30th October, including a scale model of the Works. You can download the final project report (pdf, 11mb) here
Poster Sunday 30
Oct
We began our work with an investigation into the building, the yard and surrounding objects.
We organised a tea, coffee and cake party to get to know the tenants in the works asking them how they used the building, who they collaborated with, and who they knew socially. We ran workshops with some of the tenants at Portland Works to learn about their skills and see how the community operates and how the building is used. This information we hope will give us a better understanding about the needs of the tenants and how to better plan the building.
creative
survey...
We conducted a survey in Sheffield...
...to see who had heard of the building and what they thought it was. The results revealed that about 20% of the population had heard of the building, but not many knew about its history or use – so we need to keep spreading the word!
We are developing a tool that will help the tenants and organizational committee to manage the building more efficiently, intensify use and occupy parts of the building that are currently not occupied.
.