Shankar Patel Mall
The Bield
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Aerial View
The Bield (meaning shelter or protection) exists as a place of refuge: whether one wants to escape city life for a while, or to escape a heavy downpour whilst out walking. It is located on Quiet Route 60 of Edinburgh’s cycling network, once part of the Loanhead and Roslin Railway. Supported by an exhilarating remnant of Bilston Viaduct, the folded structure is only fully revealed from below the high level path, cascading into the wooded ravine.
The Bield is split into three main zones - the Refuge for Hikers, Runners and Cyclists, the Writers’ Retreat and the Bothy for sleeping out in the woodland. As visitors make their way through the structure, a constantly changing woodland vista is revealed. The interiors have been designed to maximise comfort. All furniture is integral to the interior, conveying a feeling of being warmly embraced by the building. Suspended in the tree canopy, visitors can explore this terrain from a new vantage point and can hide underneath it. The Bield occupies the middle space - the unmapped area, just off the beaten track. It is the perfect place to hide. The Bield is a place where one can dive off the edge of a world of asphalt and steel into the soft, warm embrace of timber. Nestled within the canopy, it is an exploration into what it is to truly detach from the world.
LIDAR DSM
A LIDAR DSM (Digital Surface Model) maps out everything found on the surface of a selected terrain - including trees, cars and houses. This accurate map of the woodland surrounding the Bield set the limits for spatial explorations into the canopy.
A LIDAR DTM (Digital Terrain Model) maps out only the terrain itself, ignoring all surface objects.
The Bield inhabits the space between these surfaces - the unmapped area, hidden just out of view.
LIDAR DSM Map
Site Plan
Sections
Section A
Section B
Section C
Section D
Section E
Detail Sections
Detail Section A2 - Bothy 3
Detail Section A3 - The Retreat
Detail Section B1 - Entrance 2 & Refuge 1
Detail Section C - The Retreat
Detail Section D - Entrance 2 & Refuge 1
Detail Section E - Bothy 3
Structural Build Up
Structural Build Up 1 - The Bridge
Structural Build Up 2 - Beams
Structural Build Up 3 - Bracing
Structural Build Up 4 - Concrete
Structural Build Up 5 - Suspending Cables
Structural Build Up 6 - Lower Beams
Structural Build Up 7 - CLT Floor Panels
Structural Build Up 8 - CLT Vertical Supports
Structural Build Up 9 - CLT Roof Panels
Structural Build Up 10 - Facade Elements
Structural Build Up 11 - the Bield
Map of the Bield
Exterior Views
On the Hiking Trail - 1
On the Hiking Trail - 2
From the Bridge - 1
From the Bridge - 2
Threshold between Bridge and Bield
Bothy 1 in the Woodland
Bothies 1 & 2 in the Woodland
The Retreat in the Woodland
Bothy 1 & The Bridge
The Bield in the Woodland - 1
The Bield in the Woodland - 2
Plan of Bothy 1
Bothy 1's Dining Area
Bothy 1's Twin Bedroom
Bothy 1's Double Bedroom
Refuge 2 Plan
Refuge 2 Private Place
Refuge 2 - Balcony View 2
Refuge 2 - Balcony View 1
Retreat Plan
Retreat - Meeting Place
Retreat - Private Space 1
Retreat - Private Space 2
Sanctuary Plan
Sanctuary Window
Sanctuary Hiding Place 1
Sanctuary Hiding Place 2
Maps of Edinburgh & Bilston Glen
These maps explore how the Bilston Glen Viaduct is linked to Edinburgh, both spatially and temporally. Produced using GIS software, they grounded the Bield and made a case for its existence.
The Site, its connections, its history, and some of its unique features
Skills & Experience
- Exploration through Model Making
- Analysing LIDAR Data
- Using GIS Mapping Software
- Detailing with CLT
- Suspending a Building with Steel from a Bridge
- Constructing within a Tree Canopy
Shankar Patel Mall
The Bield
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