surbiton yatai
2018
photo by Ben Tynegate
Surbiton Yatai is a community engagement project between unit 5, a postgraduate architecture unit led by the tutors Takeshi Hayatsu and Jim Reed at Kingston University, and the community group the Community Brain. The project strengthens links between the University and the Surbiton community and forms a part of the wider community regeneration project SHEDx chosen by Mayor of London for their Good Growth Fund in 2018.
photo by Ben Tynegate
photo by Serina Harb
Surbiton Yatai has been designed to be pulled by the Surbiton community at the annual Seething Festival in February to signal the start and the end of the street parade. It has featured in the 2018 Seething Festival and rebuilt to coincide with the end of year show opening for Kingston School of Art at Dorich House Museum in Kingston Hill.
photo by Serina Harb
Surbiton Yatai is a large mobile wooden structure providing an identifiable local landmark for community events. The design of the structure is inspired by traditional Japanese festival floats from the Kuki Andon Matsuri in Kanagawa, Japan. These are large prefabricated timber structures, assembled by local people during the annual festival celebrating the pride and spirit of the community. Similarly, Surbiton Yatai is a prefabricated panelised structure that can be assembled very quickly. When assembled it is a 5-metre-tall, four wheeled timber structure, weighing nearly two tonnes. The Yatai incorporates 420 recycled milk bottles on its outer cladding, creating pockets for displaying wild flowers and herbs. It acts as a mobile seed bank, promoting the idea of sustainable growth.
photo by Serina Harb
photo by Serina Harb
Kingston School of Art, MArch Unit 5
Students
Ziad Bakr, Elle Bytautaite, Youjin Cui, Britt Cyayston, Rohith Kakkoprath Edayilveedu, Rosie Ellis, Alexander Fedyk, Serina Harb, Jason Jennings, Salah Krchen, Darren Maskell, Maija Pajanen, Verity Parson, Alexia Alvarez Reyes, Don Rooke, Arjun Singh, Austin Stapleton, Gemma Thompson, Ben Tynegate, Matt Wynn
Tutors
Takeshi Hayatsu, Jim Reed
Community supports
Community Brain: Robin Hutchinson, St John’s Primary School
Sponsors
Kingston University Alumni and Supporter Engagement
Plants donation
Keith McMahon, Flowerscapes, Kingston Beekeepers
Structural advice
Price & Myers: David Derby, Tim Pattinson
3D Workshop
Richard Trupp, Tim Clarke, Stuart Hollister, Chris Buttle, Guillermo Rodriguez Lopez
Kingston School of Art
Eleanor Suess
Kingston University Estate
Ian Appleford
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