IPCUK Convergence site design. Part 2: analysing

Part 2: Analysing the information

This is part two of three in a series of posts about the IPCUK convergence site design. Read part one, surveying.

Later on, with bellies full of great food and brains bursting full of information from the day’s observations and considerations, we noticed a limit to our own potential for absorbing more information. So in the glow of the fire from the wood burner in Gidney Cabin we entered into analysis by musing through the 6 Thinking Hats of Edward de Bono…

This was a really useful way to round off the day of surveying and enter into the digestion phase of the information.

One of the really useful resources on site are the available base maps that we could utilise:

On Thursday morning Celia did a great job of turning this into a flip chart size sketch that we could then use later. Hannah drew up a brainstorm of elements (both essentials and possibles) for the design considerations. Joe considered sectors of the site. Sandra continued typing up the process in really useful detail. (This document is available if anyone would like to have a look).

We then took a few elements each and considered the intrinsic qualities, needs and yields of each one:

Element	Intrinsic characteristics	Needs	Yields
Reception	Allowing for people to flow through	Sheltered space Visibility Easy access Spacious enough to hold x people + luggage? Enough staff, well equipped Clear opening hours	Easy & warm welcome Quick orientation & info Confidence and security
Welcome gazebo	Welcoming & happy Open on arrival day	Little shelter Table, chairs Welcome poster Electricity, light?	Feeling welcome orientation
Workshop spaces (>5)		Shelter blackboard flipchart, pens,… seating
Open Space (2-3)	Open / in use morning and afternoon (early evening) Bustly, a lot of change of people / workshops Self-managing	Shelter blackboard flipchart, pens,… seating Sufficient distance from other ws-spaces / Closeness to other ws-spaces	Sheltered space Undesignated ws-space Less work for crew
Big space	Big = can host all attendees noisy!	Large flat dry ground Sheltered location Power Structure (put up & tat down?) Seating, Stage, loud PA (Bar 1 nearby) Light, Projector Filming / Streaming equipment & space Not too much exterior noise Good acoustics Storm-proof	Large dry space (dining room, opening circle space, main talks / keynote, general assembly, entertainment) Lots of seating Noise Dancing space
Next big step area	“office” hours	electricity? wifi, privacy whiteboards, projector? table, chairs	Strategy, Mediation Private space Global peace
„Nothing on“ space	Rather quiet Open day and night Retreat and connection?	Sofas Chairs & Tables Internet access? Light?	Comfort Relaxation Getting things done? Connecting with others Catching up sleep
Wellbeing area	Long days Quiet / relaxing vibe	Water in / out fire wood Electricity? quiet, beauty a little out of the way but not too far Vehicle access? own structures	Relaxation Hot drinks wellbeing / health
Market space		Table, Chairs, Roof Walls? access to secure storage	Lots of lovely, interaction, Opportunity to offset ticket price, money
Cinema		Power (solar?) Quiet & dark Not too near hubbub Near food / drinks? Cycle / solar powered? License? comfortable seating	Chilled out space Escape from crowd learning
Compost loos	24 hours	Easy access (using / emptying) Smell reduction, Water, Hand washing possible, Peeing possible (sight shelter for peebales,…) Soak, Toilet paper Regular checking Space to take poo to	Short distances to loos Sustainability (not soiling water) Poo! Relaxation…
Catering	Getting people fed in a reasonable amount of time Tasty food made by happy people	Electricity, Water, Space for cutting veg, Pots pans… Space for queues, Design for how to give out food	Happy people! Satisfaction…
Covered dining space	Meal times chaotic	Shelter, Weather proofing, Near lodges, Seating, Tables, Near washing up, Anchor points (in case of tarp)	Happy eaters Shelter, Chairs & tables at non-meal times Noise at meal times mess?
Street food	Opening hours depend on sales people Extra, on top of PAB-café	Vans?, Power, Water, Easy access for cars Good footfall, Central / near workshops (food on the go) not too near café?	Quick food for meal skippers, kids, people on different time zones, get lagged, fuzzy pups,…
Self-catering		Fox-proof (lockable?) storage, Washing up Eating space (tables & chairs?) Any support in food preservation? (fridge in crew lodge?) Rubbish / compost process, Food / fuel to buy, Tips on how to use site (available resources)	Tidy clean fields Happy healthy campers Undisturbed caterers
Bar 1	At back of big space Serves drinks while dancing / entertainment takes place noisy	Stock, Hot water, lighting, Seating?, pump, a bar, bottle opener, corkscrew, Shelving / storage (barrel rack etc.) Glasses, glass wash station, Cash tin, Float Licence (+Lockable space) Loud (!) PA, Toilets /…	great conversations laughter, fun Drunk people Muddy patch of ground Noise Waste (empty bottles, bottle rps?, crisp packets, slops,...) dirty glasses Urine money
Bar 2	Pub-like atmosphere cozy, enclosed space not as loud as Bar 1	See bar 1 Tables & chairs/seating Beer mats etc. to make it feel pub-like	See Bar 1
Café	Run by PAB (Chris Pepper & Fran to ask) eat-in / take away options	Power, water, facilities, rubbish facilities, tables & chairs, lockable secure storage	No thirst food surplus of money no trash
Juice / Tea (non alcoholic) bar	Open during day till late (closed bar but open space?)	Power, Light, Water, Comfortable seating, Music, nice lighting, warm, open late - offer take-aways for after bar closing? space still open (after bar closing)	Alcohol-free space hot & cold drinks? Chilled, comfy Daytime café-space Refreshment
Crew camping	noise curfew (11-7 quiet)	Close to / away from activities. Space for arriving early / last to leave (self-contained) Tool lock-up (cars nearby?) Noise curfew (quiet 11-7)	Well-rested crew easy crew communication
Family camping	Own fire within	Own fire within earshot Near food and kids area safety, quiet, ???	Friendship Co-parenting
Night owl		Safe paths for drunkards, Fire pit, Near glass disposal? Away from people who need quiet / non-drinkers	Merriment that is inclusive, safe, non-offensive
Early birds	Quiet nights, loud morning	Away from late night activities, No fire?	Quiet evening area Loud morning space happy morning people
Snoring space / snorers corner		Be away from light sleepers	Noise at night time
Teen space	24hour-space?	Electricity, Wifi, Shelter, Lights, Privacy vs. Support / minimum supervision, Freedom, Resources (…), Music? Tinned music?	Noise Creativity Energy Great perspective Lights
Kids area	24-hour-opening? lively	Resources (...) Storage, Peace, Near food and other act. Parental connection, By big / main fire, Near family camping, Near woods, Washing, Snacks, Water, Toilets	Happy families Play Integration Fire lighting Creativity Program & Activity

After exploring the potential web of elements we went back to the bigger picture of the site itself. We considered the sectors of the site. There are a number of noise sectors to consider that will have an impact on any area of the site we chose to use - in some areas the site is affected by noise from the road, other areas will be affected by a potential building site that may be in action during September (we are waiting to find out about this) and the area away from this has a lot of intermittent and unpredictable noise from other groups using the children’s on site activities.

There are a range of other sectors around the site of wonderful views, access routes, wind and sun. The consideration of all of these have fed into the potential placing of elements on the site.

Having collated and considered yet more information we decided to invite Hannah Morrice, our liaison person at Gilwell Park to the hearth of the Gidney Cabin to ask many questions and explore potential options with. Hannah is very supportive of permaculture, she intends to attend as much of the event as she can and is exploring the extent of the interactions we can build between permaculture, Gilwell Park and the scouting movement. Hannah also has a long list of action points that she took away from this meeting, a huge list of questions to answer, and things to consider / discuss with her colleagues.

Having gone right into various details of the design we decided to pull back out to the main pattern of the site again and took the opportunity before dusk to reexamine the site. This time we were going to specific areas to explore potential ideas, consider what structures might fit where, how we might utilise spaces in creative ways, stack functions into various elements.

As darkness fell we took the opportunity to explore which areas were served well by existing lights, where the dark spots were etc...

Part three here.