How do we read urban fabrics? Highgate showcases an extraordinary architectural diversity in tis streets, with layers of foreground, middle ground and background sceneries moving relative to each other, almost like a stage set. Inspired by Gordon Cullen’s ‘Townscape’ and Steven Holl’s ‘Parallax’, this project introduces the history and townscape of Highgate by exhibiting architectural fragments in moving layers, so that instead of visitors moving and seeing varied perspectives of the same objects, objects move and form a depth of scenes in front of them. A workshop provides insight for visitors into the craftsmanship of architectural details, and an observation tower provides views across Highgate and London.

The main structural material is timber, which brings lightness to the structures and responds to the forested site. A shingle roof system is designed to maintain ideal daylight level in the gallery space and reflect diffused light to its gloomy surroundings. The structure of the tower is inspired by the self-correction mechanism of trees and the structural advantages of dendriform geometries.