Sustainable Design Awards: the architect on St Moluag’s

Not much more than 24 hours to go to the close of the public online vote in the Argyll Sustainable Design Awards 2009.

In the run up to the end of the contest for the awards we are featuring each of the four architects who designed one of the finalists in what has proved a very poopular category – the New-build non-residential category – or public buildings.

The architects of each of the four finalist buildings have been asked the same questions on the project and on their work.The focus of today’s feature is Shauna Cameron of Shauna Cameron Architects, the practice designing the St Moluag’s Heritage Museum on the Isle of Lismore.

What was the most challenging thing about the brief for this building?

Most challenging was the need to design a building that was not only sympathetic to the thatched cottage and the surrounding open landscape but was also sustainable both in terms of materials and construction and in long-term running costs.

What excited you about it?

I was excited about working with a group – the Comann Eachdraidh- who were so committed to creating a centre that would become a hub on the island for generations to come. We had built the thatched cottage and its instant success encouraged and galvanized us into striving to achieve the final goal – a new heritage centre for the island. We all believed such a centre would have a positive impact on Lismore, though that has been even more positive than we had imagined.

What did you want people to feel as they used the building?

I wanted local people to connect with the building and feel it was theirs to look after and develop as they saw fit. It had to be a comfortable – physically and aesthetically – to encourage volunteers to want to give up their time to work in it. It was important that locals and visitors alike would feel that this was a place of interest where they could learn about and contribute to, the island’s heritage but also meet with friends in the café for a coffee and chat, to participate in entertainment, Gaelic weekends, visit the library and view exhibitions.

What did you want passers by to feel about the building?

While I didn’t want people to pass by – I wanted them to come in and visit – I didn’t want the building to disturb the peaceful landscape or detract from the thatched cottage.  From both approaches, north and south, I was keen that the building looked almost as if it had grown out of the hillside – hence the grass roof.

What do you see as the key sustainable materials you used?

European larch cladding, that fades to silver grey, needs no maintenance and will last for 50 years. The grass roof not only connects the building to the landscape and mirrors the rushes used on the cottage, but encourages local flora and fauna. Wool was used to insulate the walls and roof.

What sustainable or energy saving features were you able to include in the building?

The ground source heat pump heats the building and provides hot water with a minimum use of fossil fuel (electricity).

What do you see as the most significant materials introduced into building practice within the last decade – and why?

The range of improved insulating materials, some of which are natural such as wool or recycled newspaper, will in time, allow almost everyone to reduce their energy bills.

What do you see as the most significant operating systems introduced into buildings in the last decade – and why?

While not ‘across the board’ solutions, alternative energy sources – wind turbines, heat pumps of various kinds, solar panels, wood burning stoves and boilers enable us to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels.

With public buildings like this one – what sort of preparatory work do you do on work-flows or usage-flows or people-flows?

It is important in a small public building for visitors to move about easily and that those who are working can do so without disturbance. Conversations with my Clients and refinement of sketches as the design progresses, identifies how people will flow through the building without conflict.

How did the results of this impact on your design for this particular building?

The design was L-shaped with visitors entering the building at the intersection allows them to easily access the exhibition, shop, library, café and toilets. The kitchen entrance is to the rear as is the plant room, keeping these ‘flows’ out of the public areas. The office is in the centre, meaning help and information for visitors is always on hand. The outside café deck can be accessed from the inside or outside via the main pathway giving an alternative access to those who have been walking or cycling.

What, for you, is the single most important thing about any building that people live, work and relax in?

It would be difficult to single out one feature but I believe that people should feel ‘safe’ from the outside world in their own living, working & relaxing space. This doesn’t mean that they should be locked inside but that they should feel comfortable with the spaces inside. I believe this is best achieved by listening to Clients needs and desires and not by imposing ideas on them.

In terms of public buildings designed by other architects anywhere in the word – which is your personal favourite and why?

The Burrell Museum, designed by Barry Gasson, located in Pollok Park Glasgow shares the top spot with others such as the Scottish Parliament, Glasgow School of Art and the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

I like the way items collected by Sir William Burrell are integrated into the structure such as the stone arches leading between galleries. I also like the way fully glazed walls make you feel like the surrounding woodland is part of the gallery. The fact that this eclectic collection is so large and cannot all be displayed at one time, makes it ever changing and worth visiting again and again.

I had heard about the collection that was in storage with nowhere to go throughout my childhood and was delighted that it finally arrived at such a wonderful building and location.

What sort of public building would you love to design?

I would love to design a traditional music centre for teaching and performance, for adults and children.

If you could choose a specific type of public building (in terms of what it would be for) that you feel would make a real difference to life in Argyll, what would it be and where would you like to put it?

A purpose built hospice with areas for both young and old. Location is always a problem in Argyll as wherever it was built travel distances would be an issue. Better therefore to find a site where people would be both inspired and put at ease by the surrounding landscape. If nothing else Argyll offers this kind of landscape throughout its length and breadth.

Public online VOTING closes on Friday 27th November

To refresh your memory on features already published on this innovative Awards scheme and find other stories related to sustainable design: click on our Sustainable Design archive.

When you’re ready, this is where you click to vote - and we’ll keep this link available every day in each article we publish on this exciting initiative – until 27th November, the end of the public voting period.

Voting rules are:

• You don’t have to live in Argyll to vote.
• You may vote only once for one individual entry in any one category.
• You may vote in each category.

The categories you vote in are:

• Small scale residential (can be up to 5 units but this year all entries are single private houses)
• Large scale residential (normally public sector housing as this year)
• New-build non-residential (essentially public buildings of various kinds – and the category whose finalists we are featuring each day from now until – and including – Friday)

A panel of industry experts will decide on the winners in each category of the judged Sustainable Design Awards 2009. For Argyll will award a certificate to the winner in each category decided by the Public Vote. It will be interesting to see how the two results compare.

Get voting. You have until 5.00pm on Friday 27th November.