Project Look-back: Fascinating Designs, SIPs Have International Presence

Wellham Studios, England

Featured in many publications, around the world, Premier SIPs was used in British designer Mark Merer’s contemporary studio (2009) near the small town of Somerton in Somerset, England.  SIPs were chosen for the sustainably built studio due to the extreme insulation value and energy efficiency.

Description written by Mark Merer:

Welham Studios started with the study of placement, watching objects in clay and sand creating shapes through the interaction of the wind and rain. The work is looking for a  union of object and environment.

One aspect of the work developed into the basic forms using triangulation, and this work was the basis of a project with the Swinomish Tribal people of Fidalgo Island Washington State.

Welham Studios, England

The Swinomish housing project which has become known as Landhouse
(started in 2006.) It was a visit to my studio by a couple who lived in Seattle. They became interested in the work being done, its physical relationship with the ground and how it translated into a building.

The Pennock’s saw an opportunity to connect myself with an Architect friend of there’s, Art Peterson of Cedar Tree Architects in Seattle, who had been working with Ray Williams of the Swinomish Tribal People of Fidalgo Island Washington State, they had just completed the building of a Traditional long House.

Welham Studios, England, SIPs Installation

They had been discussing the current housing situation on Fidalgo Island which is a long way from the beliefs and traditions of the Swinomish and bore no resemblance to their surroundings. The houses are currently designed and placed regardless of the Landscape and their Traditions.

A meeting was organized and out of it came the idea to develop an environmentally sensitive scheme for an allocated development area and Landhouse was born. The structures were refined and developed into module units comprising of Elder, Student, Single family, Vacation, Multifamily and community facilities.

I came back to the UK and decided to build one which is now almost completed and due to be opened in the spring of next year. This has become Welham Studios that my wife Artist Lucy Glendinning www.lucyglendinning.com and I work from.

Welham Studios, England, SIPs Installation

The building is constructed in structurally insulated panels using the factory in Seattle that was involved in the Swinomish project; this was to be a test for the modular units.

We used thermoform 3ply cladding that came in 5m by 2m sheets. The roof is a EPDM membrane with a inbuilt root barrier, a 100mm substrate with a wild flower turf.

Welham Studio, England, SIPs Installation

We are know looking for Partners to set up a US wide Research program for developing designs in the Landscape with Tribal communities in collaboration with Landhouse.

PROJECT REVIEW:

• Designer: Artist, Sculptor Mark Merer
• Location: Welham, Somerton, Somerset
• Engineer: John Beverage. Street, Somerset
• SIPS: Premier SIPS 4609 70th Avenue East Fife, Washington
• Consultant Architect: Art Peterson 3518 Fremont Ave. N., #477, Seattle, WA

• View all Premier SIP Project Galleries
• Landhouse: A Sloping Prefab Home Complete with Meadow Roof , Inhabitant, published 9/8/10
• 20 Crazy, Creative & Amazing Green Roofs, WebEcoist, published 10/8/10
• Construct Ireland, published 10/11/10