About this Event
This talk explores, through the lens of thatch, the material custodians and landscape management strategies necessary for the implementation of natural material systems. The hope is to inspire students to move beyond the bounds of The Modern Project and extractive research tendencies and to immerse themselves in these systems in mutually beneficial ways. We will look at three landscapes where this approach has been implemented, the challenges facing thatch in them, and the opportunities afforded as a result of this engagement.
Reed Cutting on The Norfolk Broads; Hannah’s time in Norfolk addresses a current bottleneck in the implementation of local thatch. By engaging with and advocating for reedcutters her research shows the challenges facing UK reed supply as well as the ecological and socioeconomic benefits in the upkeep of reedbeds.
The Cranog Centre, Loch Tay; A rare opportunity was presented to us to join the thatching crew for a new crannog, one of only two built in the last 1500 years. The build is part of an experimental archaeological project aimed at keeping the necessary construction skills alive to build with ancient natural material systems.
Os Ancares Habitat, Galicia; Recently Ollie Howell joined the architectural research group ROAD as part of a project to revitalise the Os Ancares region of rural Galicia. Local NGOs see the reinhabitation of the palloza, a pre-roman thatched architectural typology unique to the region, as central to this effort.
Terrestrial Works is a small Architectural Research Practice set up by Hannah Millett and Ollie Howell. The practice positions the architect as a connective tissue within the broader social and ecological networks that champion natural materials.
Event venue & nearby stays
Minto House, Elliot Room, Chambers Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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