ReLevel: Revitalizing Leith Urban Block For A Sustainable Food Cycle
This project emphasizes the 'reuse' of existing structures while exploring spatial 'leveling.' The site is an urban block comprising a series of disused stone mews buildings bounded by Constitution Street and Queen Charlotte Street, with an extension to a portion of common land on Leith Links - an 'urban croft' created by the local community. The project aims to provide space for clients - Empty Kitchen Full Hearts (EKFH) and Earth In Common (EIC) - who focus on food insecurity, as well as for the wider community. Currently, facing limitations in terms of access, the primary goal of the project is to create a more open space and establish a better connection with the common land, with programs that serve to produce, repurpose, and gather food, in addition to bringing people together.
The project aims to create a sustainable and community-focused space while minimizing its impact on the environment. This is achieved through reusing existing materials, using locally sourced timber, and Hempcrete as carbon-negative insulation. The building is committed to achieving net zero embodied carbon in construction by reducing the carbon footprint of material transportation, providing a functional and energy-efficient space that promotes a connection with common land. The existing buildings will be retrofitted using repetitive timber frames that support the stone walls, and platforms and blocks will be inserted to separate the different spaces. The choice of materials and construction methods will play a significant role in improving the building’s environmental performance.
