Hi, my name is Jonatan and I’m a MArch 1 student, joining as part of the FLUX Atelier at MSA. I graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Newcastle University in 2022 …More
and have went on to work on a variety of small- and large-scale residential projects at BPTW in London during my Part I placement year.

I have always been drawn to the detailed aspects of architecture and enjoy understanding how things work by making them, which is why I am particularly excited to design the pagoda as part of our proposal. My hands-on experience with timber construction began at a young age, working on DIY projects around the house with my father. I’m really looking forward to working with the Monton Unitarian Church community to create a garden that is as much about the shared experience of creating as it is about the final space itself.

Day 3 Intensive Week – Cost Breakdown
After sending Anna the two construction options for the planters last night, we began with a call with her to determine which type she wanted …More
to go ahead with… she chose the construction method using sleepers. We therefore spent the morning tweaking the design, while producing detailed construction drawings to use when on site. This was an iterative process to ensure the construction would be as simple as possible, whilst still achieving the overall appearance we and Anna were aiming for.
Once we had the design for the planter and a bench type to match, we were able to calculate the number of items needed for the site plan Anna had agreed to - 8 planters and 2 benches. She had also hoped to make the planters as environmentally friendly as possible, so asked to use untreated wood, if we could do so within budget. After a sunny lunch break, we intensively researched building suppliers to compare the availability and price of the materials needed (with options for treated and untreated timber) and check delivery options to begin building Monday. We rounded the day off with speaking to Anna to go through the cost options for the best option of treated and the best option of untreated.

Day 8 Intensive Week - Build Top Half
We started the day building up the bottom halves of the planters we had built yesterday. The first job was to screw the planks onto the bases …More
to create the 'false bottoms' to hold the soil. We used all the drills available and managed this quickly, so once we had done this we were able to lift the corners of each planter and place them onto the paving slabs we had chiseled into size in the morning, to raise the wood of the ground and prevent them from rotting. We then moved on to building the top halves, repeating the steps from yesterday for the bottom halves and lifting them onto the planks. The final step of the day was to add the waterproof membrane and drains to the center of each false bottom to prevent water from pooling within the membrane. By the end of the day, we had finished all 8 planters and made the bases of the benches, ready to fill the planters tomorrow and make the top of the benches!

Day 9 Intensive Week - Construction Wrap Up!
Today saw us finishing the construction of the bench tops and the layering of 9 tonnes of soil and aggregate in the planter boxes. Splitting …More
into teams, we shovelled the aggregate into wheelbarrows and created a 100mm layer at the bottom of each bed to create a penetrable drainage layer to ensure the water does not pool in the soil. This was then topped with a weed membrane to the corners of each planter to ensure damp soil would not wash into the aggregate. Finally, the beds were finished with 300mm of topsoil to allow for the growth of a variety of plants that will later be planted and fostered by the local community. In the meantime, benchtops were finalised with wooden planks that were securely fastened to a frame by 6 screws each to ensure safety and longevity. These tops can be lifted off to provide storage for soil and tools within the base as the church prepares to build a shed in the area we cleared on Friday. We’re proud to say that construction has been completed on time and within budget, and would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in making this possible. We look forward to celebrating together at tomorrow’s community event!