Workshop: Designing for Coexistence – The Kittiwake Hotel

Overview:
This workshop invites you to explore sustainable, functional architectural solutions that integrate with the urban landscapes of Newcastle and Gateshead. Participants will engage in a design challenge to create the Kittiwake Hotel—a structure that offers safe, natural habitats for kittiwakes while enhancing urban biodiversity and aesthetics.

Objective:
To develop creative, sustainable architectural ideas that support urban wildlife and improve the ecological and aesthetic value of the cities, focusing on the needs of kittiwakes and their connection to the River Tyne.

Activities:

1. Introduction to the Challenge: Presentation on the role of architecture in supporting urban biodiversity, with a specific focus on kittiwakes and other urban wildlife.
2. Design Process: Participants will work on creating conceptual designs for the Kittiwake Hotel, considering factors like sustainability, urban integration, and ecological enhancement.
3. Modelling & Prototyping: Attendees can engage in the physical modelling of their designs, learning techniques for building small-scale models that reflect their conceptual ideas.
4. Collaborative Critique: Design teams will present their ideas for feedback and refinement, discussing the balance between functionality, sustainability, and aesthetic integration.

Expected Outcomes:

• Participants will develop innovative architectural solutions that contribute to sustainable urban living and support urban wildlife.
• The designs will reflect thoughtful integration with Newcastle and Gateshead’s urban environments, fostering a dialogue on how architecture can contribute to ecological harmony.

Why Attend?
This workshop provides an opportunity to develop forward-thinking architectural solutions while exploring the intersection of sustainability, wildlife conservation, and urban design. It’s a chance to contribute to an exciting and meaningful project that aims to redefine urban spaces for the better.

This workshop is part of the research project: Navigating Urban Ecologies, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council at Northumbria University, in collaboration with the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Arts and Wild Intrigue.

Target Audience:
Architects, designers, and architectural students interested in sustainable urban design and wildlife conservation.