Tutors: Corinna Dean & Giulio Verdini

Corinna Dean runs the Archive for Rural Contemporary Architecture, and is currently undertaking a residency at the Sheerness Dockyard Church Trust, looking at the ecology of the Isle of Sheppey and its retreating shoreline. She has exhibited widely and published on the topics of cultural regeneration in the UK and India, as well as contributing to architectural publications.

Giulio Verdini is Reader in Planning and Course Leader of the BA Designing Cities.

YEAR 2: Regeneration & Development

This studio explores strategies for sustainable urban development for the town of Sheerness – and its wider context – in the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. Sheerness needs to consolidate its role as the main commercial and service centre for the Island and address its current concentrations of deprivation.

The health of the town centre needs to be improved, but there is no land available within its confines or at its edges. It currently has an undeveloped transport network, unmade roads and cul-de-sacs to eastern and deprived communities which increase isolation and promote unsustainable travel patterns.

The Island’s tourism offer is unique to Kent, but under-exploited. Traditional ‘bucket and spade’ product faces challenges to meet modern demands and expectations. Sustainable rural tourism, the Island’s historic assets and links with aviation pioneers are potential growth areas. The students were asked to explore interventions at the peri-urban scale of urban acupuncture.