Our commended entry to this RSUA’s ‘CityPlay’ Design Competition, in collaboration with Household arts and Sailortown Regeneration Group. Our proposal was for a demountable timber post and beam structure wrapped in net with community designed & built insertions. The net wrapping surrounding a dynamic circulation route would encourage organic play and exploration of architecture whilst also ensure the landmark would be safe and distinctive. The structure was to be an adaptable space which could change purpose and host a variety of programmes. It could be appropriated as gallery, dancefloor or stage – as space for the traditions of the area, or as focal point for music, culture and art hence re–establishing play as signifier and catalyst for the re–emerging Sailortown neighbourhood and confidently announcing the presence of community life to the wider city.
The idea is intended as a physical, 1:1 scale consultation into a new green space to encourage ideas of what the area might become, with children and residents infilling, adapting or extending the installation as per aspirations. We proposed that the first intervention would be to infill the missing piece of streetscape to Princes Dock Street with an active, full–of–life built frontage to the neglected and damaged streetscape. This space could be used positively as an external, partly sheltered space for play or events.
Like St. Joseph’s before it, the structure signals across harbour and city re–connecting its kinship with the wider maritime district and histories. A space not just for locals, but a public resource that would have a reach to nearby neighbourhoods and a presence that would arouse curiosity of docklands tourists and flaneurs.
Before developing the initial ideas, we approached Sailortown Regeneration Group and Household arts organisation, who have worked on community engaged projects in the area over many years, to help develop and review the idea. Their support and input was critical to how the idea emerged. We hope to continue to discuss how the wider idea might help contribute to an appropriate public space and play area in the Sailortown neighbourhood.
Our commended entry to this year’s RSUA ‘CityPlay’ Design Competition, in collaboration with Household arts and Sailortown Regeneration Group. Our proposal was for a demountable timber post and beam structure wrapped in net with community designed & built insertions. The net wrapping surrounding a dynamic circulation route would encourage organic play and exploration of architecture whilst also ensure the landmark would be safe and distinctive. The structure was to be an adaptable space which could change purpose and host a variety of programmes. It could be appropriated as gallery, dancefloor or stage – as space for the traditions of the area, or as focal point for music, culture and art hence re–establishing play as signifier and catalyst for the re–emerging Sailortown neighbourhood and confidently announcing the presence of community life to the wider city.
The idea is intended as a physical, 1:1 scale consultation into a new green space to encourage ideas of what the area might become, with children and residents infilling, adapting or extending the installation as per aspirations. We proposed that the first intervention would be to infill the missing piece of streetscape to Princes Dock Street with an active, full–of–life built frontage to the neglected and damaged streetscape. This space could be used positively as an external, partly sheltered space for play or events.
Like St. Joseph’s before it, the structure signals across harbour and city re–connecting its kinship with the wider maritime district and histories. A space not just for locals, but a public resource that would have a reach to nearby neighbourhoods and a presence that would arouse curiosity of docklands tourists and flaneurs.
Before developing the initial ideas, we approached Sailortown Regeneration Group and Household arts organisation, who have worked on community engaged projects in the area over many years, to help develop and review the idea. Their support and input was critical to how the idea emerged. We hope to continue to discuss how the wider idea might help contribute to an appropriate public space and play area in the Sailortown neighbourhood.
