Ning Wang

The Thesis Design Project proposes a ‘Trainspotters’ Library’.

Interior designers need to understand the people who will use the buildings they design long after they have departed and moved onto other projects. I’m not a trainspotter and, at the beginning of the project I knew nothing about this activity, but I used to be a big fan of collecting Lego, coins and stamps so I feel I have some understanding of the mindset of this odd tribe. Lots of research ensued and I developed an understanding of traispotting, trainspotters, the history of British Rail and its industrial and graphic design heritage.

Despite this better understanding of the subject I was still questioning why I was designing a place for these ‘anoraks’ to enjoy this archaic activity that had a heyday in the post second world war years? Why was I proposing to build a library for these outdated ‘nerds’?

Later I found myself watching the ‘SpaceX’ channel live streaming on YouTube and over two hours it was showing the launch and docking of a ‘Starlink’ satellite. Fifty thousand people were watching this amazing feat of technology live and I realised that seventy-five years ago trainspotters were doing the same thing – marvelling at the technology of the age. They were pioneers and the Trainspotters’ Library is a monument to those ‘anoraks’.