Haggeston's Architecture for Adult Learners' Week 2012

It was fortunate that the rain clouds cleared and the sun made an appearance for our walking tour of Haggerston’s architectural highlights on Saturday.  Lizzie led a group of 20 for this 2012 Adult Learners’ Week event, which explored the diversity of architecture in Haggerston: from a mid-nineteenth century garden square, to an Edwardian bath house, to a twentieth century modernist school. 

Participants developed their map-reading and observation skills to identify how and why changes have taken place to the built environment, particularly as a result of WWII bomb damage.  The group also gained an understanding of how population expansion and Victorian philanthropy changed the face of this south-Hackney ward. 

Whilst the tour focused on Albion Square, Haggerston Baths and Haggerston School, participants also got the opportunity to have a close look at Haggerston Estate, and see the some of the most recent additions to the ward’s architecture: The Bridge Academy and Hoxton Station, both nominees for Hackney Design Awards in recent years.

“Thanks for a really enjoyable tour of Haggerston architecture” – just one of the comments from our group of adult learners, who enjoyed seeing the historic maps and photographs, as well as Haggerston’s fascinating buildings.

My Haggerston Volunteer Training

Over the past 6 weeks, Lizzie, Karen and Janet have been delivering a varied and engaging programme of training activities for volunteers who have signed up to take part in ‘My Haggerston’, an in-depth community research project into the ward’s rich heritage.  The project will be delivered by members of the Hackney Heritage and Built Environment Partnership (HHBEP), and has received funding from HLF. 

 HHBEP commissioned the Building Exploratory to develop and deliver the volunteer training because of our significant experience in this area, for example on our Places of Worship and Panorama High Street 2012 projects, and a recent commission by the Design Museum.

The aim of the training is to develop 40 volunteers’ research and audience engagement skills and provide an induction into the organisations delivering ‘My Haggerston’.  Training so far has taken place at the Geffrye Museum, Hackney Archives, and in and around the streets of Haggerston.  Volunteers have taken part in object handling, drama activities, photographed architectural details and researched the industrial heritage of Curtain Road.  Amongst many other things, volunteers have also learned how to use artefacts to stimulate discussion, interpret archival material for family audiences, and work with people with physical disabilities.  

Sessions have been lively, action packed and, with comments such as “BRILLIANT session, thank you so much...interesting and informative” we think that the volunteers have enjoyed them as much as we have!

Senior BEE's at Hoxton Hall

Last Friday the Senior BEEs were taken on an amazingly detailed tour of an atmospheric Victorian music hall theatre - Hoxton Hall. After a warm welcome from Lorna McGinty, Hoxton Hall’s Education and Heritage Co-ordinator, the BEEs met with Anthony Burton a Hoxton Hall trustee and expert on the history of the building who shared his knowledge with the group. Anthony described the history and architecture of Hoxton Hall and took the BEEs out onto Hoxton Street to see the building in its local context. He explained how the building has evolved and adapted over the last 150 years from a music hall to Quaker settlement to the vibrant youth and community arts organisation that it is today.

After the focus on the past, the BEEs had a chance to glimpse the future at Hoxton Hall as contractor Andy Massey showed the group around refurbishment works which are currently in progress. The visit ended with an opportunity for the BEEs to give their ideas for future activity plans at Hoxton Hall. The BEEs are looking forward to re-visiting in June to see a restored Hoxton Hall as it prepares to entertain, support and educate local people for another 150 years.

Engaging Communities

Last week Janet delivered a CPD session on ‘Engaging Communtiites in the Design Process’ to an audience of 70 architects from Jestico & Whiles.  Following a discussion about why it is important to engage communities, Janet took the architects through the process of engagement that the Building Exploratory has developed and successfully delivered over a number of years.   
 

 Students from Sebright School at Heatherwick Studio, for the Lord Mayors Show 2009

Janet illustrated how we  uses a variety of resources to encourage our audiences to contemplate the nature of change in the local area.    She also explained how, through providing opportunities for discussion with a wide range of built environment professionals and stakeholders, audiences gain a broader understanding of the complexity of issues affecting their local urban landscape.  Using ‘Exploring Adventure’ and ‘Arundel Square’, as case studies, Janet illustrated some of the creative techniques that are essential to the Building Exploratory’s work to enhance audiences’ experience and investigations of architectural places and spaces.  A lively question and answer session followed.  

For more information, contact Janet Clark education@buildingexploratory.org.uk

Errect Architecture and the Building Exploratory - Kilburn Grange,  Exploring Adventure 2010

My Haggerston

The Building Exploratory is delighted to be a part of ‘My Haggerston’, a new community engagement project, funded by HLF, to research the fascinating heritage of the ward.  ‘My Haggerston’ is to be delivered by Discover Hackney, a partnership of ten heritage and built environment organisations which include the Building Exploratory, Hoxton Hall, the Geffrey Museum, Every Generation and the Hackney Society.  

The project will see 40 volunteers uncover the rich heritage of Haggerston in four areas: architecture, homes and celebrations, leisure and culture and family history, which will then be interpreted for local communities through and exhibition, digital resources and activities for local school children, young people, families and community groups.  

The Building Exploratory is excited to be leading on the architectural strand of the project which will involve volunteers photographing and researching the listed buildings in Haggerston, of which there are over 100.  The project got underway last week, with volunteer recruitment events at the the Building Exploratory and the Geffrey Museum.  The Building Exploratory has been commissioned by Discover Hackney to deliver the volunteer training programme, and we are really pleased to be able to share our extensive experience in this area with the partnership.  Click here for more information.

Bringing the Olympics to Maryland Primary School

It was a busy and exciting week last week, with three people representing the Building Exploratory – Lizzie, Rosie and Evi – delivering six workshops at Maryland Primary School to explore how the Olympics are affecting the school’s area. Students from years 3 and 4 identified changes in their area through time by comparing maps from 1033, a Tudor map and a map from 1777. They also explored changes taking place as a result of the Olympics, and learnt to identify and describe the function, features and design of the Olympic stadiums. 

Students in year 5 took their design skills even further, by designing their own Olympic Stadium, and competing with their classmates to test how strong it was.

 Lizzie said of the workshops:

“The most exciting part for me was when we looked for all the different factories that we could see on a 1893 map of the school’s area and the Olympic Par. The students were so keen to tell me everything they found – including a Candlewax Factory, an Oilskin Works (although they didn’t like finding out what an Oilskin factory was!), a Brush Works and a Paint Factory – conveniently right next door to each other.

There was a lot of giggling when they imagined what their area might have looked, smelt and sounded like with all the industry that they had identified from the map. It was great. I’m confident that they really enjoyed it because at the end of the session I received a ‘Maryland Firework’, when all the students made crackling and banging sounds to say thank you!”

If you would like to book a tailor made Mapping Spaces Shaping Places workshop for your school please contact us on 02077292011.

Artists benefit from free Age UK training at TBE

As part of our project to embed creative arts practice into our work with older people, we ran a special training day for a group of artists and volunteers.

The training, which was designed by specialist trainers from Age UK, gave the participants information and strategies, and covered working with older people with specific needs including those who have difficulties with mobility, visual impairment, loss of hearing, Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Through a series of simulations participants were able to get a sense of what it feels like to have some of these conditions. Tasks included making conversation with someone wearing silencer earmuffs to experience what it feels like to communicate with reduced hearing; and walking about whilst wearing a range of goggles that mimicked the effect of some of the different conditions which reduce vision. Taking part in these activities helped to give participants a better understanding of some of the conditions many older people live with and to consider how they could respond to these issues in their work and practice.     

The next stage of the project will see the artists using the knowledge they gained from the training to develop creative activities which will allow older people to overcome some of the barriers they face to participating and enable them to engage with architecture and the built environment.

This project has been funded by Arts Council England.