Pete Goding

I focused on creating a community space that fosters social togetherness and civic unity by providing a generous covered area. My proposal explores a building that reconnects a coastal town with its waterfront and cultural heritage while incorporating a secondary use as a boatbuilding workshop.
I began to examine the ‘spirit’ of a place, and the building explores the concept of the “aura” of a place, influenced by Walter Benjamin’s notion of invisible energy emitted by objects.
Research into Culross revealed the historical significance of skiff boats and their role in local events and fishing before the decline of the coal mine in the 19th Century. There is also a growing trend of community skiff building and rowing nationally.
Inspired by this tradition, the proposal incorporates a community boatbuilding facility that serves as an educational workshop and fosters social engagement. The public space also provides a sheltered environment for the community.
The project aims to remove the disused train line acting as a barrier to the town, utilising its resources for materials in the building. The design integrates a boatbuilding workshop and a covered public exterior for communal activities with differing interior special conditions.
The building sits comfortably within its surroundings. The two gable ends reflect the town’s vernacular architecture, with stone from the surrounding hills used for the base, floor and foundations.
The slender timber structure sits above the solid stone base with an interior characterised by pale and unique patterning made from Douglas Fir timber – a connection is made to Culross Palace, whose barrel-vaulted ceilings are said to be made from upturned boats.
The landscaping provides a rich ecological habitat for the flora and fauna of the area. Introducing reeds in the mudflats helps to clean the wastewater and provides a new habitat for the local wildlife. Reconnecting the estuary with the town and restoring a cultural and spiritual balance to the town.