Bird Box #1

  • Alexander de Caires

I was meant to start an international exchange when the corona virus pandemic hit the UK; and like so many others, I had to adapt and respond to the realities of lock down. My garden shed became my new destination, where I set about sourcing material from the collection of ‘waste’ from previous projects. I settled upon left over solid oak floor boards, which had been used to surface the hallway. Developing a brief I was inspired by the bird song which had overtaken the urban humdrum during the lock down. I decided that a bird box would be the perfect project for the material and this period in isolation. Before work started on the first bird box I began research on the requirements needed. In particular the size of the entrance hole and overall dimensions were identified, both of which were dependant on the nesting species. I therefore assessed those occupying my garden and the possible location and decided to focus on Blue Tits. The bird box and floor boards were a particularly suitable match as the width of these boards matched the size required. While it was possible to preserve the dimension of these boards I also wanted to maintain other aspects of its character, in particular its tongue and groove, as well as highlighting the strong grain patterns. In addition I was keen to include special features, which may invite birds to explore these pieces prior to nesting. Utilizing the lathe in the shed I was able to turn small feeders, which were to be loosely connected to the main structure. The bird box designs were resolved and refined throughout construction, which was well documented. As part of my practice I focus on performing architecture and am particularly keen to illustrate the making process. Therefore I was careful about the parts I was creating and how they would fit together. This culminated in a series of short films showing the construction of the bird box and its first visitors. Check out my Instagram to see the first visitors I had: @ex_architetcures

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