Peter St John's London Met Unit will investigate the theme of Second Life. The term comes from the artist and social activist Theaster Gates, who states that almost everything can be reused. This is evident in his work which has involved collating discarded objects and materials, as well as salvaging and refurbishing whole buildings.
Students will look at the question of how to renew buildings; how construction can be less energy-demanding and creating systems where buildings are indivisible components in a regenerating ecological system.
The unit will visit forests and quarries in Europe to understand more about the source and flow of natural resources through the economy. The main project will be the design of a timber building for a Housing Collective in South London.
The course will be taught by Peter St John, Fabienne Sommer, Ben Speltz and James Hand.
Photo © Saunders Seasonings
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At a time when its celebration is under threat, Peter St John's studio at London Metropolitan University looks at how we protect public life and sociability, by looking at the provisional and the festive social spaces of the city.
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This year Unit 12, led by Peter St John, investigated the theme of Second Life, in the context of the design of buildings. Based on the belief that almost everything can have a second life, the project intends to address London's pressing need for more housing and the complex solutions for the shortage of land. The proposals for the reuse and densification of existing post-war housing stock in South London show how this can be a better solution than redevelopment.
Project review
Building in Hamburg
In a talk for the Architecture Foundation, Associate Ben Speltz presents Caruso St John's work in Hamburg over the past decade, focusing on the practice's approach to working within the urban fabric of the city centre and introducing two recently completed projects, the Gortz Palais and Grosser Burstah Office Building.
In conversation
Florian Zierer
Berlin International University of Applied Sciences
Berlin, Germany
8th October 2024
Florian Zierer will be in conversation at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences on 8th October 2024, introducing the practice's recent projects with existing buildings.
St Pancras Campus
Architecture Foundation
Summer School 2024
London, United Kingdom
11th – 15th September 2024
The Architecture Foundation is staging a summer school for architects and architecture students at Caruso St John's newly completed St Pancras Campus mixed use development.