Author Topic: any advice would be greatly appreciated (Read 11508 times)

catherton2 · « **on:** April 12, 2011, 15:55:25 »

hey everyone im new to this site im be honest apart from playing on my dads allotment as a young child iv never had much intereact with them, the reason i have set up this account up is to ask some advice and options on a university project i am doing.

i am studying architectural technology at the university of central Lancashire for my final project of this year we have been given the assignment of looking into allotments and the people who use them. from the breif i have been given by tutors it is obvious that they them selfs have also never been on an allotment properly, the task we have been given is to totaly re design the are'a where allotments are and come up with building designs for say over night stays for people who do not live local to the allotments or maybe some kind of alternative green house.

The reason iv come on today is to gather any information you could have to spare anything you yourselves think could improve allotment area's.

any help would be greatly appreciated as i wish to have as much information to present to my tutor and other students and i shall also gladly display my work for anyone to look at if they are interested on the site as i progress.

picman · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2011, 19:23:54 »

Oh dear... :)

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2011, 19:41:29 »

We could come up with enough for a PhD thesis between us, but why don't you visit your local allotments, and ask the people there? Do a case study, and it might go down better than random answers.

aj · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2011, 19:50:16 »

The only comment I'd make [apart from a sarcastic comment on the correct use of apostrophes] would be that the whole point of allotments is that they are local......

pigeonseed · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2011, 20:00:05 »

:-\ I suppose they want you to think radically about the design... But to be honest, for me its peace and beauty comes from almost absence of design. Design from outside, I mean.

Each allotment plot is designed by the tenant, and comes from a mix of their dreams, whims, local growing conditions, traditional growing methods of the tenant's culture, and is also shaped by availability of materials. (You'll have noticed they recycle a lot of old stuff on allotments.) If there's a load of pallets available, someone might fence an entire plot with them and paint them yellow. If there's a skip full of old doors - a shed may appear, made of old doors... There's a bucket of cheap gooseberry bushes at the local pound shop - they bung a few of them in. Someone next door offers them some runner beans, so they grow runners every year afterwards.

So allotments are very personal and home-made, maybe they sort of evolve. I think that's rare and special and to be encouraged, don't you think?

I'm not saying that to have a go, I think architecture is fascinating. I just wondered if it would give you any ideas... Can you sort of anti-design an allotment site? :)

I agree with Robert - go and meet some plot-holders.

manicscousers · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2011, 20:07:08 »

Where are you, catherton, maybe some of the allotments on here are close to you ? :)

Unwashed · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2011, 20:19:05 »

Hello catherton2, welcome to A4A.

It's pretty much essential that allotments are local because of the need for regular (several times a week) tending in the growing season, so it's an unusual thing to talk about staying over on an allotment. That said, the 1969 Thorpe Report recommended something very much along these lines, allowing shalets in a similar way to many continental European countries.

Sheds on allotments have an architecture all of their own, being traditionally built from whatever was available free, though much more often now you see B&Q pre-fabs, and some sites stipulate design and construction standards, and some sites don't allow sheds at all.

The site hut is an important central asset of many sites, useds variously as the sites shop, for tea facilities, and as a meeting place. It has a central role in site community.

The site loo is possibly the most important site asset because many of the allotmenteering demographic can't manage long without one and a lack of a site loo will exclude them from allotmenteering. Mains drainage is often not available so variations of the earth closet are becoming popular with a couple of firms doing a supply and installation for around the £10k mark.

Tell us a bit more about what you're after and I hope you get some more response.

Bill Door · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2011, 20:20:51 »

So these are going to be like "premier allotments" where the only thing not premier is the price?

Well I like the idea of an alternative greenhouse. It would have to be tall enough to stand in. Small enough not to take up too much growing/drinking/composting space but big enough to hold all the useful cr** over winter. It would have to be vandal proof, not rot or deteriorate for 20 years and not scare off the wild life that makes the allotment so relaxing.

Best you pop and speak to the locals and take a few cans for the chat.

Bill
P.S spell checker is a useful tool which i only use when i think it is important i get the right point across.

SMP1704 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2011, 20:33:13 »

What they said and......allotment plots are getting smaller. Our site has divided two plots and is offering 'starter plots' around 3x4m so portable grow walls but are not solid or are transparent.

I do think that the best designer for an allotment is the plotholder.

I would like to know why uni lecturers are all so focussed on allotment spaces for course work?

calendula · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2011, 20:52:08 »

well said AJ, cannot believe this is real, normally I wouldn't care if people can spell or not or even have basic writing skills but I can hardly believe this - why would you want to re-design an allotment area - strange

Ellen K · « **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2011, 22:14:25 »

oh dear ...

(LMAO)

catherton2 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2011, 23:53:36 »

Thanks for the useful comments, and the sarcastic one's to, just to let you know im a dyslexic student so that was a massive confidence boost. Just to clarify i got the assignment properly today and have my first review tomorrow to discuss my idea's. From what you have said the idea's suggested to me from my tutors and the brief handout, the information provided is over the top and unnecessary for allotments. The general idea i have in mind is a technical shed housing a small equipment room, greenhouse, toilet and somewhere to stay if needed (this is brief required and out of my hands). The project must also be environmentally friendly using thermal technology to heat the space. I have visited the local allotment this afternoon and spoken to a couple of people who basically explained the same idea's as have been posted in this thread. After i have had my tutorial tomorrow morning i shall come back with any information or idea's suggested again to see how they fare in your opinions after all you have a better insight into this then my self or my tutors would.

Thank you for any advice and ill try to be a little more careful next time i post.

pumkinlover · « **Reply #12 on:** April 13, 2011, 05:45:49 »

Hello Catherton2 and welcome.
It seems to me that you have more insight into allotments than your tutors! I know in the Scandinavian countries that a lot of people have allotment gardens or summer houses/ gardens where they can stay over at the weekend.
I think it is pretty unheard of in this country, and would not be allowed on the vast majority.

Maybe you could research what happens in other countries if you have time. I remember an article in the National Society of Allotment Gardeners about this but that would be about 6 years ago. I think that some of the "Russian" countries are the same.

Good luck with your project and your degree. Having dyslexia must make it harder for you, but you have got so far so good on you.

PS I've got a sofa, stove and calor gas cooker on my plot! but never spent the night there. Loo is an ice cream pot which gets chucked on the compost heap!

shirlton · « **Reply #13 on:** April 13, 2011, 06:50:10 »

We are fortunate to get a toilet from Birmingham Coucil let alone anything else

Alex133 · « **Reply #14 on:** April 13, 2011, 07:35:04 »

We don't don't have a loo on our allotment - it was suggested but the increase in rents to cover killed enthusiasm. Anyway, what's wrong with a bucket in the shed - brilliant compost accelerator.

irnhed · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2011, 07:40:01 »

Interesting to think about a requirement to sleep over.

Putting aside the questions / comments around whether people would be allowed to sleep on site, I suggest that you consider the demographics of the people who may be using the site very carefully.

In the interest of space, you may want to consider lots of 'dual purpose' furniture, such as sofa beds to make the best use of the space that you have.

Personally, I'd be very happy sleeping in a hammock, which you can obviously put up quickly, and take down if not required.

Also, I often take my wee ones with me to site, so you'd have to think about toddler beds / baby cots / bunk beds to cater for children. This then opens up a whole can of worms with child proofing the space.

If people will be on-site for long periods (over 24 hours) you'll also have to think about cooking facilities, along with toilets (which have already been mentioned) and food storage / preparation areas.

Hope that gives you some interesting things to think about.

I've seen mini-chalets on sites in Germany, and always thought that it was to prevent the need to drive home after a lovely summer evening drinking schnapps with your gardening friends.

tonybloke · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:14:57 »

Hi catherton 2, welcome to the forum.
I'm glad that you are being asked to consider future planning of allotment sites as part of your architecture course.
I think you should concentrate on the site hut as this is probably the one building on site that needs proper planning.
some ideas for you to consider..............
ground source heating
PV cells / battery for 12v lighting
red cedar cladding
composting toilet ( built in, but with separate access from outside the main building)
site shop space, tea-making facilities ( very important)
notice board ( inside and out)

p.s., ignore the pedants on here, as someone with a dyslexic wife (with a degree in fine art) I know the problems dyslexic folk can have with the educational curriculum.
good luck with the assignment, and let us know how you progress.
rgds, Tony

catherton2 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:22:47 »

Cheers i'll keep all of that in mind and see what my tutor says, one of the idea's he decribed to us involved changing the allotments into a single allotment for shared use. which i have interpreted to mean having designated area's for certain growth and other parts for others, with this i could in some way design special area's that are specaly adapted to the growth of that indervidual plant, and maybe bring in the possibility of growing plant that haven't been seen on allotments before. So people would be able to shar their space?

On your local allotment would this work? There's always the problem of somone being to greedy or talking other peoples stuff i guess?

Squash64 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:24:27 »

Welcome Catherton,

I just wanted to second what Tony said about dyslexia. My elder son left school without a single qualification, (apart from an A* in Causing Trouble in Class ;))

He taught himself to read after leaving school, went to college, then uni and is now doing a PhD in guess what......... dyslexia!

He also runs a very successful website for dyslexic people and their families.

Good luck with your assignment, it will be interesting to see how you get on, please keep us informed.

BarriedaleNick · « **Reply #19 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:52:24 »

Hi Catherton,

Ignore the snipes on here. We normally have a rule that we don't pick holes in posts but I guess that doesnt apply to newbies asking unusual questions ;)

For me the shared space thing for growing is a complete non starter. There are many reasons for having a plot and for me, having my own personal space is paramount. We all garden in different ways - some organic - some not, rasied beds v open ground, organised v chaotic etc and I dont see how that would work if we all garden a shared space. On my site it just wouldnt work - some have been tilling the same plot for 50 years and I cant see them givng up thier own plot for a shared space. If you were starting from scratch then maybe it could be made to work. Also I think its preferable aesthetically to have a good mix - I dont really want to see all raspberries in one area and corn in another.

On a more positive note I believe it's a good idea to look at this from a design perspective but bear in mind that there is in reality no money!!
Mainly what Tony says below - the communial areas are important. Hut/Toilet/notice boards/area for bbqs/small shared space with area we can have as a swap shop for unwanted veg/place for shared equipment.

Good luck!

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Author Topic: any advice would be greatly appreciated (Read 11508 times)

pumkinlover