Following the socio-political desolations of Brexit and Covid, Boris’ Conservative Government seek economic prosperity, opting to ‘take back control’ of heritage as an enabling commodity to help put the country back on the map. Winchester, the ancient capital of England, is selected as the epicentre of this nostalgic experiment for reasons of sheer heritage abundance. The once complete definitive city wall, cruelly lost to the cruel advances of time, is to be re-imposed as a continuous piece of “living”, somewhat theatrical, heritage infrastructure. Whilst functioning as a hotel to host the expected influx of tourists, the wall is to strictly define the bounds of Wintonia; the city re-brand, the new destination for heritage. The plan for Winchester’s future is simply to reflect back its past. The time capsule wall revolutionises the accessibility and appeal of the past to inspire a new generation of ‘heritage-lovers’. Inside Wintonia’s bounds, the city of ‘Ye Olde Winchester’ is preserved, and a Morris-esque perspective to traditional craftwork reigns supreme. In stark contrast, the external skin celebrates the city’s vast historical catalogue, at last converted to a qualitative format, updated in a continuous show of masonic theatre circumnavigating its 3km length.

Stephen Smith

︎Year 5