Portfolio

If you build it, they will come...

Our lives are shaped around the buildings that we frequent, subconsciously interacting with someone else’s design, allowing them to play a part in our development as people. It is these symbiotic relationships that comprehensively determine their final outcome, resulting in their conservation or deterioration. From 1910, a number of hotels were built in response to the tourist boom the Isle of Man saw. In response, corporations decided to build hotels quickly, compromising their build quality and style, creating a building that was only meant for short stays. As a result, functionality was key. It was not pertinent for these hotels to create a major impact on the occupants, so time and money was saved and there was no elaborate decor. As these hotels were utilitarian, they were not in a position to be repurposed after the tourism declined, leading to their neglect and decay. I decide to showcase and bring to light this deprivation and deterioration through a piece that evokes both a physical and emotional response. I wanted to represent the building as realistic as possible, using unique industrial type media, allowing the characteristics of the piece to tell a story and show the history of neglect, while layering to create a sense of weathering. My aim was for the viewer to truly understand how quickly a building can be forgotten about and show the impact the island had on both the economy and the architecture after tourism declined. This piece was one of 3 that I completed, exploring the ideas of form vs function and the impact that societies views can have on architecture. This piece went on to win the Sovereign Art Foundation Isle of Man 2019 Judges Award.