Franklin Simão
Born in Lisbon, Portugal, and also based in Copenhagen, Denmark
Architect Graduate –
Mackintosh School of Architecture
Working and studying in the field of architecture, possessing a BArch in Architecture from Mackintosh School of Architecture, Scotland; BA in Architectural Technology from Copenhagen School of Design and Technology, Denmark; and internship as an architect at BIG – Bjarke Ingels Group. Also undertaking research for forthcoming publications; regarding carbon emissions in the AEC industry and its relevance to architects, engineers, construction professionals, as well as politicians that create policies affecting the industry. With the growing demand for debate on better defining the role of the architect in sustainability and within architecture as a political catalyst for change, I aim to be part of this new era, helping in transforming pioneering architectural concepts into reality.
I have always been intrigued by architecture and how structures are put together, constantly assessing what I appreciate or what I would change in a design to enhance it and its surroundings. I am fascinated by the language of architecture, its power as a political force for change and its construction methods throughout history: from the once novel blue glazed brick techniques developed by the early peoples of Mesopotamia c. 575 BC to ornament the entrance to their cities, down to the pioneering design and construction details employed by William Van Alen on the Art Deco inspired Chrysler Building in the late 1920s. It is these enthralments that inspire and drive me to push the envelope further in what architecture is capable of becoming, while shaping the spaces in which we live.
Franklin Simão, Balloch Pier Performance Hall and Youth Retreat, 2021
An atypical performance hall with an expansive open space created by its biomimicry form and a youth retreat almost resembling a vessel docked at the river awaiting for the sun to set after a momentous day of playing Tchaikovsky’s ‘1812 Overture’
The design proposal for a performance hall and youth retreat that sit by Balloch Pier, situated 25 kilometres north of Glasgow in Scotland, provides the opportunity for youth to assemble and perform by the lake of Loch Lomond. The open plan and high ceilings of the performance hall is designed with flexibility in mind, allowing for the arrangement of seats to be adjusted to fit the requirements of hosting different events in the space. The high reaching form of the building also helps to create a new focal point for the pier itself, almost acting as its lighthouse, re-establishing the centre of the surrounding area back to its pier and docked PS Maid of the Loch, an historic model of Clyde-built ship engineering. The youth retreat sits over the water’s edge upon piles cladded with timber planks, providing the illusion that its floating on water like a docked vessel. Its colonnade section and angled form away from the performance hall, provides privacy and direct views over the River Leven and Loch Lomond, making it the perfect place to retreat to after an eventful day of performing.
