CS Faraday

Nov 2022

Two Week Exercise

0.8mm Mild Steel Sheet, Steel Rod, 2x2 Pine

Individual Project

Tutors: Kevin Haley, Ian Hunter

We were asked to read about the history and find stories of Woolwich, in Greater London, that we were drawn to. I liked the engineering innovations and legacy of the CS Faraday - a purpose built pioneering cable-laying ship by the Siemens Brothers, in 1874. I referenced the bows and twin screws at each end. It has two funnels located to either side to maximise clear deck space, and a pair of bilge keels on each side to minimise rolling. 

Today, subsea cables make the global internet possible. But the groundwork was laid in Queen Victoria’s day with the transatlantic telegraph. It cut long distance communications from days to minutes. Our project site on Bowater Road was the former Siemens Brother’s factory. It produced thousands of miles of cables to connect the world using their own cable laying ship, the CS Faraday. On her maiden voyage she braved storms and icebergs to connect Ballinskelligs, Ireland to Rye Beach, New Hampshire. She went on to lay 8 transatlantic cables, more than any other cableship before, or since. 

Beyond the engineering legacy of the site and ship, I found the stories of the sailors on board particularly interesting. The model is anchored by fins that contain QR codes that can connect you to an existing database of nautical experiences.

Work selected and published on @models_architecture (103k followers) on Instagram/Facebook.