“Why can’t we have all our lessons out here in the park?”
This is what Year 8 at collectively shouted as we headed back to school after
our latest East 20 workshop. A year ago, these young people were pioneering
students, the first year group to enter Chobham Academy, the first school to
open in the Olympic Park.
If the aim of the project is to excite the students about the opportunities in
their school’s ‘back yard’, then I think we might have already achieved it.
Our challenge is to support the students in a search to find ‘places’ that are
meaningful to them in this huge 560 acre newly formed site. Four teams:
#FishNet, The Great Banter, Anonymous and Banterlona, went where curiosity led
them, heading for high points and searching out secret spots.
These are just a few of the lesser-known facts and places they uncovered on the
Olympic Park:
- The landscaped slopes are perfect for rolling
down
- Tumbling bay playground appeals to people of
all ages; there is no upper age limit
- The rustling leaves of the surrounding trees in
fact make Portland Lake the noisiest place in the park
- You can literally lose yourself in a corner of
Victory park… you’ll have to go to find out how.
Start points had previously been provided by a panel of speakers
intimately involved in the design and maintenance of the park and its
surrounding neighbourhoods. This inspiring panel included Kathyrn Firth, Chief
of Design at the LLDC, Caroline Jupp, artist in residence currently based in a
moving shed, and Nick Edwards of Fundamental. Even an imaginary alien who has
just taken up residence in the park also made an appearance!
The places the students came across will become sites for large-scale
viewfinders to be built in the next session. Quite literally watch this space…
