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ark-hive

 

 
A prototype beach hut for the Lincolnshire coast
ark-hive image   detail
Once found, the key will not only unlock a beach hut with its usual collection of beach ware, deckchairs, windbreaks, buckets, spades, stove and kettle. It will also open up a series of sliding planes which will effectively double the internal size of the container. These sliding planes can be used for seating, windbreaks, solar shading, or privacy. The container will also contain a small library of local folk songs for the inhabitants to enjoy between cups of hot chocolate and the ebb and flow of the tide.

further thoughts - a row of ark-hives
Love Letters - the legacy of holiday romances. An ark-hive of letters which cannot be thrown away, but similarly cannot be kept either.
The Gin Palace - An ark-hive of memories and memorabilia from the soon-to-be-demolished Regent Club, Chapel St. Leonards (1940 - 2006).

For more information about the Bathing Beauties Competitions visit their website at www.bathingbeauties.org.uk.
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brief
To design a beach hut for the 21st Century.

concept
Apart from the emergence of new buildings dedicated to tourism, for use as beach huts and holiday homes, there has also been a tradition of reuse. Remnants of this type of reuse can still be seen along the Lincolnshire coast from recycled timber groins to old railway carriages.

It is our intention to adopt this method of reuse for the twenty first century beach hut. The ISO shipping container fulfils this role perfectly. The containers are constructed to transport goods, by sea, from one continent to another. Often they are discarded by the exporters after just one journey, as it is uneconomical to return them empty. They are sold off, at a low cost, for any number of different purposes.

Apart from the obvious physical attributes of the shipping container - security, simplicity, and an ability to withstand transit and robust oceanic conditions – it also evokes something else in our minds. It has a special relation to the sea, it reminds us that we are an island and our existence is connected to, and to an extent dependent on, trade. It has a past and an anonymity which attracts a curiosity and fascination - a twenty first century treasure chest.

The treasure
The treasure concealed within our container is an archive of Lincolnshire folk songs. A tradition of song inspired by the land and seascapes of the region, intertwined with the lives and concerns of the local people. As with all treasure, there are hidden clues to the nature of the container's contents and its means of access. The clues here will take the form of text on the external envelope.  The casual glance will not divulge much in terms of its purpose or content, however, a closer inspection will reveal some small clues subtly applied to the outer skin - but where is the key?