NATURAL SYNTHESIS

MUHAMMAD WAQAR JAVED SITE ANALYSIS

EXPOSURE
Prevailing wind in the UK comes from
the South-West. Building orientation
and massing, as well as sizing and
placing openings will determine
whether the wind ventilation design is
good or not. The site itself is a large
exposed area, Figure 1 shows the
direction of the wind and below is the
pattern in plan. Figure 2 indicates the
sun path above the Lumsdale area and
its surrounding. Figure 3 shows the
direction of the shadows at various
points throughout the day. Figure 4 is
both the sun path and sun rays
combined, showing the points which
receive light at peak times.

INDICATES
DIRECTION OF WIND
Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 4
Fig. 3

NATURAL SYNTHESIS

MUHAMMAD WAQAR JAVED SITE ANALYSIS

EXISTING SITE MATERIALITY

Vast amount of vegetation

around the site, from the
bottom to the top.

Limestone rockery, which some

of the ruins are made up of.

Main run of stream,

includes a range of rocks
of various shapes and
sizes.

Mixed stone, not

common around the site.

Trees of great height, alongside

grass, soil and other greenery.
The woodland extends out into
the wider surroundings.

NATURAL SYNTHESIS

MUHAMMAD WAQAR JAVED SITE ANALYSIS

ACCESS/FRONTAGES

3
4
2

NATURAL SYNTHESIS
VIEWS TO THE SITE

MUHAMMAD WAQAR JAVED SITE ANALYSIS

VIEWS FROM THE SITE

NATURAL SYNTHESIS

MUHAMMAD WAQAR JAVED SITE ANALYSIS

SITE HISTORY
In order to understand the historic context of the site effectively, it was essential that the right sources were used to gain this understanding. During the site visit, a speech was given by a member of
the Arkwright society, whose name was Alan. Following this, the most appropriate information in relation to the sites history was gathered.

The Arkwright societys main business is to run the mills at Cromford. The valley isnt directly connected with the Arkwright business but the spinning wheel at the bottom was set up in competition
with Arkwright. The history of the valley is all to do with the Bentley Brook which is the stream that slides past, it collects its water from Matlock Moore which is at the top of the valley where there is
a golf course and it flows down through the valley and has supported a number of different industries at various times. The earliest that we know about is working lead.
At a later stage the principle industry of the valley was grinding various things, such as corn for example. To power the mills there were eventually three large ponds, the middle pond was re-watered
2 years ago with heritage lottery money, which cost around 50,000 to dig out and re-water. There is also a very deep wheel pit on site, where the water wheel turned, that water was then
channelled down close to a second wheel pit. Water was carried along the side of the valley in a wooden trough down to the buildings at the bottom, where the path comes out onto the road. They
again represent different periods in the valleys history, there may also have been foiling of wool down there, clinging wool early on.
The big change was in about 1783 when two local spinners set up a spinning mill in competition with Richard Arkwright at Cromford, they started spinning cotton. It was enough of a nuisance to
Arkwright for him to send his lawyer to them on one occasion to try and get them to stop after he won a patented action, he usually lost his actions but this one he actually won. Arkwright tried to get
them to stop but they didnt, they only managed to run a successful business for about 30 years and they gave up spinning in the early years of the 19th century. Two bleachers who has worked further
down the valley then expanded upwards.
Eventually what was left of the valley was sold to a local accountant for the sum of 275 including the big mill owners house, located on the corner of the opposite side of the road further down. And it
was his widow who left it to the Arkwright society to be saved and preserved in a state of picturesque decay. A great bird watcher was Mrs. Mills and she used to wander around bird spotting and
loved the valley, but wanted it kept in the sort of condition that it is in today. Certain areas are very fragile, being consolidated at various stages, principally in the 1980s by the Arkwright society.
The society for protection of Ancient buildings has recently become interested in the valley, they are going there with a summer project next year and for at least 2 years after that, bringing a team of
Architects, Surveyors, Builders, Roofers, Slaters and with a lot of volunteers including students, for a week in July 2017-2019 and possibly for longer than that. Nothing would be re-built on the site,
instead, conserving the buildings and making them more stable and less dangerous will be the priority. The development of the valley continues with at least 84 houses being built at the top, nothing
lower down as far as it is known. The mill right at the bottom of the valley which is not part of the complex higher up is right for this development and was going to become a high-tech village at one
point in time but that is something which did not proceed.
Theres great pressure on the council to provide thousands of houses under government requirements, particularly difficult in the Derbyshire dales, because a lot of the Derbyshire dales district falls
are within a natural park and the dales district council has no authority of building within a park, another issue for the planners. The chimney itself is to do with the bleach works, which is currently
closed to the public. The bleach works started up in the 19th century and of course the bleaching process required a lot of hot water. The true value of the site can still be appreciated as it still more or
less remains the same, most importantly, enlightening the public through its physical context from the past.

NATURAL SYNTHESIS

MUHAMMAD WAQAR JAVED SITE ANALYSIS

PRECEDENTS

Abbotsford Visitor Centre,

SCOTLAND

Westmoreland Museum of American Art,

PENNSYLVANIA

What is clear is that the interior is spacious within this building,

alongside wide public areas, allowing the individual to view the
exterior surroundings from most points.

The wing that is cantilevered above a gentle

sloping site is certainly striking from the
outside. As a whole the construction
combines old with new.

Savill Garden Windsor Great Park,

BERKSHIRE

Coed-Y-Brenin Visitor Centre,

WALES

Giants Causeway Visitor Centre,

NORTHERN IRELAND

A natural timber shell roof has been used in the Savill

building, this provides for effective sustainable and
innovative design.

Natural exterior finishes sit well alongside the surroundings.

Close proximity spaces provide for activities to be done with
ease.

Mesmerising to the viewing eye, the two

folds within the landscape provide for a
unique experience alongside the scale.

Skaftafell Visitor Centre,

ICELAND
The oak alongside the contrasting black exterior finish
most certainly suits the building within its open
context.