Visual
The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened issues faced by seafarers on a daily basis. The mental health issues associated with confined condition onboard and limited shore leave as quarantine processed restrict their movement has created an unprecedented level of legal issues and families are strained as they cope with the main financial earner being stranded or unable to join ships for work. Given 95% of UK imports arrive by sea, a railway site next to Tilbury Docks in Essex was selected for a co-housing scheme to assist in a seafarer’s spatial temporal movement
A series of research interviews were conducted with chaplains at the Mission to Seafarers and the Seafarers Happiness Index. This exposed the varied cyclical nature of Seafarer’s transition from Sea to Land, Seafarer’s arriving at Tilbury are typically working for 7-9 months of the year, with little or no opportunity to step foot onto land.
Detail Axonometric
We have identified four key cycles to represent this transition and dwellings typologies will support this.
Returning Home
Seafarer’s typically are the main financial breadwinner in their families. Therefore, for many, as soon as they are on Shore Leave, they wish to return straight home. Temporary accommodation near to London, Essex and Kent’s largest airport will ease their journey.
Contract Change
The complexities of changing contracts from one ship to another ship means many seafarer’s need accommodation in international ports for a period of time which can range from a matter of hours to a few days
Sea Time - Travelling the UK
A benefit of working as a seafarer is to be able to travel the world. As Tilbury is suitably placed near the London-Southend railway line, seafarers could stay for a few months sightseeing in London and the UK.
Sea Time - Medical Treatment
Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, during longer work periods seafarers are not able to access full medical treatment. To challenge the negative attitude towards this, full Part M(3) dwelling specifically allow for recuperation time after medical treatment before their onward journey.
As part of a co-housing typology, shared facilities maximise social time on-land and increase the viability of the project, along with an internet café and family support to assist the strain felt by the whole family.
Megan Pledger
Chen Qi