James Alexander Silvester
PROFILE > Originally from a working class community in Middlesbrough North East England, I spent my early years studying furniture making and finically supporting myself as a construction laborer. This experience influenced my interest in Architecture and I attended Art College to further my design career. After gaining a Distinction and a strong desire to succeed in architecture I commenced my Architectural degree studies at the School of Architecture, University of Huddersfield 2001. Achieving a first class (BA Hons) degree I went on to gain exceptional experience working under seasoned professionals at Atkins North East.
I had harbored the ambition to see the world and this was my first opportunity to relies my dream, I had gained a strong reputation in design at my time at Atkins and was offered a position in the Shanghai Office to assist on large scale projects. I worked hard in Shanghai for six months allowing me the funds to spend time traveling through South East Asia, where I gain a great personal understanding of Culture and Architecture. The speed and excitement of large overseas project enthroned me and I decided to work in Doha (Qatar) for a further ten months, thereafter I quelled my desire to travel by embarking on a solo journey through Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Reluctantly but sensibly, I returned to my academic studies at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at Newcastle University.
I furthered my education to high standards attaining a double first (BA Hons B_Arch Hons) and two successive RIBA presidents’ medal nominations and numerous publications in the Architectural media. Now working back at Atkins Shanghai I have begun to further shape my career in the architectural profession. Over the two years I have excelled in design, winning numerous large scale competitions. My hard work was quickly rewarded by the most prestige’s position as the lead design architect of the largest project Atkins has undertaken in East Asia. I personally reshaped the unresolved scheme and worked successfully with my team to take the project to construction stage.
Solar Power Station
Gibralter
2008 - 2009
Building
The primary role of the building is to provide energy for the Urban Core of Gibraltar. However, the building functions on educational and recreational levels also.
The Solar thermal power plant would be the first of its type in Europe, therefore the building will also provide an educational exhibition facility to explain the process of the plant, and educate visitors on modern and historical techniques of harnessing climatic energy.
The educational aspect provides a function for visiting people and local schools. However, this does not function as a strong connection to the community of Gibraltar. Therefore a community recreation facility will be integrated to provide long-term interest in the development. The energy process provides an excess of heat, I propose to utilize this heat and provide heated community pools for the residents of Gibraltar. The pool facility will also comprise a spa area for relaxation in the evening. This proposal holds resonance with historic Moorish baths that once sat on the proposed site.
Newcomen Primary School
Redcar, England
Newcomen Primary school is a new build project on the site of the existing primary. The new school will incorporate four breakout areas which will be accessed via a central corridor. This will allow the school to use these areas in a flexible and innovative way to teach the pupils.
Three of the breakout areas will be unheated Covered outdoor Spaces creating opportunities for pupils to take part in Environment projects such as growing their own plants. The space could also be used to transform the area into a seaside landscape to reflect what is being taught in the classes.
Fishing Memorial
Scarbrough, England
2003 - 2004
Purpose
The British fishing industry is in decline and local fishermen are losing their livelihoods. There for, the fishing museum has been designed as a memorial to those lost lives and the dyeing fishing industry as a whole.
The museum is divided into external and internal exhibition zones. The main information will be portrayed internally through sounds and projections in awesome spaces. Externally boats are semi submerged in the slipway to evoke the dangers of the fishing industry. As the tide rises the boats will be enveloped and submerged by the power of the sea both showing the risk that men took when venturing in to the seas and also the decay of the industry as a whole.
TEDA Buisnes District
Tianjin, China
2008 - 2010
coming soon.................
Nanjing Tower
Nanjing, China
2009
Nanjing tower is a radical idea for high-rise mixed-use development. Designed for a competition this mixed-use super tower houses grade A office space a five star Hotel complex with branded service apartments and nine story retail component.
The main driving concept is the fragmentation of the standard central core and subsequent arrangement relating to climatic forces. This design idea has many advantages, most notably the naturally lit open plan office spaces and highly efficient hotel floor plate. The subdivision of the core also has greater structural stability allowing the super tower to surpass the 450m desired height.
Chongqing Gateway
Chongqing, China
2009 - 2010
Nestled in the larger residential master plan in Chongqing was the design for a high-grade office building and hotel complex. The brief was to create an iconic brand for the development helping to create a sense of place and promote value for the surrounding residential blocks.
The design thinking was developed with the concept of designing the ephemeral plaza space. The plaza area was conceptually extruded and layered by the building mass maintaining efficient floor plates for the building typology. The final mass successfully worked at differing scales, from a distance the buildings created an elegant gateway balancing the proposed residential master plan and relating to the main city vista. Locality, the development created a plaza with dynamic spaces with a strong sense of place and identity.
Suzhou C.B.D. Masterplan
Suzhou, China
coming soon.........
Modern Castle
Songjiang, China
2004
The castle was designed as the centrepiece for an English style development in Songjiang north of Shanghai. Completed in 2005 this building rethinks the idea of a castle and internally presents a clean modern development delightfully contrasted by the rugged external stone cladding. The pure internal spaces are enhanced with the play of light through precisely located veiled skylights.
The Intervention
Gateshead, England
2008
The Intervention is located in a deprived area of Gateshead north east England. Situated adjacent to
st Paul’s church at the summit of Tyne valley the site shares fantastic panoramic views.
The viewing box provides a platform or mirror for community members to look back at their disjointed community.
Inspired by the once power full shipbuilding trade on the Tyne the structure of the viewing box is a monocoque prefabricated box.
The experience felt in the viewing box is divided into two separate feeling zones. The first is the journey from the solid ground to the viewing platform; this is designed to be uneasy. As you move across a raised mesh floor you capture views down to the unleveled rubble flooring beneath. This disorientation feeling is enhanced with the slanted profile of the internal walls, the feeling is designed to show the troubled past of the community. The second zone is to encourage change and is a comfortable enclosed area that will be heated.
The Wall
Concept idea
2006
The wall was a study process developed to identify and understand the relationship between differing timber typologies and elements applied to cube of 300 x 300mm.
Shopping Mall Nanjing
Compertation
comming soon ..........
e: James_silvester6_hotmail.com
UK t: +44
China t: +86 1358 5616 198
Room 2201
Building 1
980 Kangding Road
Jing an
Shanghai
200042
P.R.China
