The Warren and The Nest
A timber community building designed around food redistribution, social vulnerability and adaptive reuse.
A timber community building for an Edinburgh food charity, combining adaptive reuse, passive environmental design and material prototyping.
The Warren and The Nest was developed as a new home for an Edinburgh-based food charity in Leith, exploring how architecture could respond to food insecurity while creating an accessible community space.
The project combines research into local food flows, passive environmental design and timber construction. Existing stone structures were retained and adapted with a new timber framework, while material research and physical prototyping informed the building’s structural and tectonic strategy.
Understand the community
Research into local businesses, food flows, food waste and users informed how the building could support the surrounding community.
Design around people and climate
The proposal combines café, market and learning spaces with passive strategies for daylight, ventilation and temperature control.
Investigate timber
Research into timber species, material lifecycles and Glulam and CLT construction systems informed the material and structural approach.
Prototype construction
Physical models and a small timber pavilion were used to investigate structural assemblies, joints, connections and foundations.
Develop the tectonic strategy
Existing stone walls were retained for their historic and thermal value and combined with a new internal timber framework, developed through material specifications and construction detailing.
