The development and construction upon land occur all around us and at an ever-growing pace as populations soar and commercial demands increase. These developments serve as a constant reminder of land value and ownership, as a historical measure of control is imposed upon us within the designation and ownership of ’free’ land and space. We are guided through cities and towns by signs and symbols that dictate our directions, permissions and restrictions around both urban and suburban areas. Roman author and architect Vitruvius coined the idea that all buildings and architecture should have the three attributes of firmitas, utilitas and venustas, which are commonly translated to mean structural stability, appropriate spatial accommodation and attractive appearance. Despite being challenged by architectural devices such as Brutalism, these three terms still stand as the pillars of architecture and can be applied to the very structures and spaces that surround our everyday lives. With these ideas in mind, I sought to seek out spaces which encompassed the structural and spatial gestures, both natural and man-made, that govern our movements and make clear our history. The chosen sites are all within Essex, but they also exist as a blueprint of the subconscious structural world, which sits in a constant state of development and change.

Firmitas, Utilitas, Venustas (2020) (Copy)
Trees and shrubs along a brick sidewalk with a street and construction site in the background.
An empty parking lot with a clear blue sky, trees, a sidewalk, and a cityscape in the background.
Construction site with excavator demolishing a building, cityscape in the background, sidewalk, brick wall, and a tree with green leaves.
Urban construction site with three blue cranes, a newly built apartment building with balconies, and green bushes and trees along a dirt path under a clear blue sky.
Construction site with a partially built shelter, construction equipment, and a fenced perimeter, near residential houses and a white industrial building under a blue sky.
A construction site with a partially paved road, orange and white safety barriers, and construction equipment, with trees and buildings in the background under a cloudy sky.
Empty city street with brick buildings on both sides, storefronts including a William H. Brown estate agency, and a construction crane in the distance.
Empty, cracked concrete area with scattered weeds and trash, fenced-off construction site with tents, and residential houses with trees in the background.
A suburban area with a large grassy field in the foreground, a row of townhouses in the background, and a few trees on the right side. There are some parked vehicles on the right and power lines crossing the image horizontally.
A construction site with a partially built building, several construction lights on poles, a tall apartment building in the background, and a fallen fence on the grassy ground in the foreground.
Empty parking lot with yellow cones and 'Road Closed' signs, multi-level parking structure in the background, overcast sky.
Construction site on a road with orange and white barriers and cones, some equipment, and a neighborhood with houses and trees in the background under a clear blue sky.
An urban scene with a construction crane in the background behind a parking lot and buildings. The foreground shows an empty parking area with white lines and a wooden fence on the right. There are multi-story buildings on both sides, with trees and
A parking lot located between industrial buildings, with cars parked along both sides. There is a construction crane and silos in the background, and signs indicating a tyre shop and other businesses.
A modern glass office building under construction behind a closed white gate, with tire skid marks in the foreground on a black asphalt road, streetlights, and a clear blue sky.
Street undergoing construction with barriers, cones, and signs. Buildings on both sides, pedestrians, parked cars, and a construction area ahead.
A small white house with a brown roof in front of trees, with two large buildings under construction with scaffolding and a crane in the background, and a grassy field in the foreground.
View of a canal in a residential area with green grass on both sides, surrounded by modern apartment buildings and construction site in the background.
A multi-lane roundabout with street signs, trees, a construction site with cranes, and various traffic signs including a height restriction sign and a cyclist dismount area.
Construction site behind a blue fence on the side of a highway with a sign that says 'Acquired by Nexus.'