| This thesis studies the appropriation of a masonry vaulted archway of an elevated railway system in London which dates from the industrial revolution. In London, the railway has taken over acres of space all over the city in its effort to expand industry. While the functional appropriation of the vaulted spaces is secondary, the vigilance of the design is primary. A structural strategy is leading the design ideas, using portable and modular approaches. Two sites have been chosen in the Southwark borough of London, both on the south shore of the Thames River. The sites represent different typologies and enhance the idea of flexibility for the design. The sites' conditions bring different constraints and inform each other. At the urban scale, the dynamic of this flexible architecture will make a visual impact and bring on a renewed attention to revitalisation. |
