Title: House of Realness

Author: Mia Owen

Year: 2020

Abstract: “House of Realness” is a project that explores how the identity of communities could be reflected through architecture and the urban environment. Specifically, the project focuses on the LGBTQ+ community in Sheffield. In comparison to other large cities in the UK, Sheffield lacks a distinct scene within the urban fabric. Currently, there is an attempt to establish a gay district by popular clubs Queer Junction and Dempsey at the bottom of the Moor. The project intends to take this further using principles of DIY and the idea queer space/ urbanism to propose a speculative design.

It was important to study the significance and development of LGBTQ+ venues and districts over the decades. It was clear that these clubs/ districts were a place of liberation and creativity, but also a place of refuge from persecution. Moving forward towards the present, there has been a shift in culture, embracing openness and acceptance. The project considers what an LGBTQ+ district could be, celebrating the vibrant clubbing scene with community and support services.

Exploring the idea of queer space, research into camp aesthetics and the work of Nathaniel Furman Nagatacho became influential in the design. Queer space became a significant area of study, exploring how the design could encourage inclusivity and the unconventional. The architectural language was defined using lessons from postmodernism, inspired by the 1980’s LGBTQ+ Ballroom scene, playing on the idea of a ‘house’. The scheme exaggerates the form of a ‘house’ embracing performance and camp aesthetics.