The naust of the ness
emma johansen
Norwich University of the Arts
Naust: A traditional Scandinavian and Scottish term for boat shelter. This project centers on the workshop as a place of making, learning, and connection, where boatbuilding brings together structure, material, and community. Located on the tidal River Ore, the building responds to a constantly shifting landscape, tying construction closely to its environment. Boatbuilding forms the technical and cultural heart of the design, with timber, assembly, and craft shaping its spatial logic. The workshop brings educators and local users together through distinct yet connected spaces, creating a shared environment for production and exchange. Timber becomes both structure and cultural material, carrying knowledge through repetition, clarity, and craft, allowing making to remain visible, collective, and continuous.