This project is all about working with a specific site and responding to it with a design which works with the environment. The area in question is Lumsdale Valley, in Derbyshire.
Lumsdale Valley is a small area, but one which is covered in history. It was a hub of water powered industry, featuring multiple mills of various uses. The site has a stream running straight through it which forms several waterfalls along the several different levels of topography.
Below is a map, sourced from Digimaps, showing the site following the stream.
Below is a map, sourced from Digimaps, showing the site following the stream.
The area is very natural and is surrounded by countryside. There are homes and a school nearby which should be considered during designing, as well as Lumsdale Farm too. Within the site itself there are several ruins of the old mills, which have crumbled and become a part of the landscape. The whole area is very rocky and has ancient steps guiding you through the steep, twisting terrain.
One of the biggest features of the area, and likely one of the biggest draws for people to visit, is the waterfall. This beautiful piece of nature is what caused the industrial buildings to exist and is what powered production for corn, fertiliser, bleaching, smelting and more. The history of the whole place is rich, but it all comes from nature. This is something which should be remembered during the design process.
Photos taken by Ben Price.
http://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/os
http://digimap.edina.ac.uk/roam/os