projects and articles by members

Working with Lighthouse

I have over ten years experience in private architectural practice and I am a senior architect at the award winning practice 'Gareth Hoskins Architects' based in Glasgow. I am currently overseeing the design for the new Architectural Gallery at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The project is now on site and is due for completion in July 2004.

Since graduating in 1993, I have also been a studio design tutor at Strathclyde University, Dept of Architecture and Building Science. Having taught in all years of the school, I am currently a unit tutor in the first year studio.

My involvement in architectural workshops and educational initiatives has been on going since leaving University and I am regularly commissioned by the 'Lighthouse', Scotland's Centre for Architecture and Design in the City, to prepare and run workshops specifically aimed at children and young people interested in pursuing a career in Architecture and Design.

Prior to working with Gareth Hoskins Architects, I am senior architect at Zoo, another Glasgow Architectural practice. During my time at Zoo, I have been part of the design team that won a competition to design an interactive play environment for the 'Lighthouse'. The proposals for a 'Wee Peoples City' subsequently won the prestigious 'FX/Blueprint International Award' for best Education Project after its completion in 2000.

Wee Peoples' City

The Wee Peoples' City, at the Lighthouse, Glasgow, is an interactive play environment based on the theme of design, building and the city and is aimed at children aged between 3 and 8 years old. It is designed to promote active learning, investigation, exploration, imagination, discovery and fun. The project is divided into two areas, a busy play area and a quieter chill-out space.

The interactive play area is based on the language of the city and uses the Glasgow cityscape as its inspiration; geometric street plans and rail and river networks are integrated into the unique contoured rubber-chip flooring. Models of city buildings include an airport, multidenominational church and railway station all illuminated by under-floor fibre-optic lighting.

A specially designed range of timber building blocks in Douglas fir encourages children to learn about pattern, scale and urban design. A three-metre-high timber tower clad in various types of timber allows them to climb up for a bird's eye view of the cityscape beneath

Other elements include an installation featuring a 'touchyfeely' A to Z of building materials, an underground transport system, soft skyscrapers clad in 'urban series' printed fabric by the Scottish textile designers 'Squeegee' and a tiled hospital light box showing real x-rays of parts of the human body.

The highlight of the chill out space is a virtual journey through the city featuring a digital animation, conceived and produced by digital media specialists Robot Masters Ltd, which is populated by commuting rabbits. Children

Gary Johnson

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