Industri[us] by Industri[us]

RE/USE RE/WORK RE/VALUE

WHAT’S THE “MEANWHILE IDEA”?

WHAT’S THE ATTRACTION? The value of ‘meanwhile’ is a potent and underused resource in planning and development, offering critical creativity, opportunity and sustainability. Instead of top down masterplanning, the meanwhile idea involves a more dynamic approach, working across disciplines in order to test and seed change for the long-term legacy of the site. This dynamism means exploring new forms of practice that cross boundaries between architecture, planning and art: such a collaborative method expands to include wider community participation in order to negotiate the social, economic and cultural aspects of the site. Investigating and animating vacant sites, the meanwhile idea is as much about the space in between as the time in between. More usually than not, these spaces are located in areas of transition, which itself generates creative enterprise and experimentation.

Industri[us] at Canning Town had two starting points – the amount of waste produced by or travelling through the London Borough of Newham (toward wharves for onward transportation to landfill sites) and the growing community of interest in up-cycling (both locally and regionally) – turning waste materials and products into desirable and valuable objects for use and sale. The project gathers together makers, doers, traders and show people to create a destination through critical mass. It provides support and links with other green enterprise initiatives in the area. The exchange that occurs out of this, through training and skilling in studios and workspaces brings with it the notion of the prosumer and reintroduces the world of making at the heart of a neighbourhood, whether that be a High Street, Town Centre or Hub. The common goal replaces individual leisure pursuits, social interaction and space is a by-product that is enabled through the provision of public (event) space that can be programmed accordingly or in an impromptu manner.

The Meanwhile Project gives the opportunity for design in its broadest sense, with the architect as an agent of change. It is a narrative and situation-based form of design, where the ordinary can be transformed into the extraordinary. The process itself is as important as the product, comprised of illuminating moments of exchange, achievement, insight and learning. In a similar way to Cedric Price’s ‘Fun Palace’ idea, the meanwhile project is about enabling and empowering, placing less emphasis on a final structure itself.

“This project was not like any other or certainly did not follow a conventional practice commission. Yet Fluid have led an extremely brave effort to potentially shape the future level of awareness and potential capability of consultants who can mix a multidisciplinary approach to the extent that projects will achieve more in successfully testing and implementing a business model that will lead to and determine the appropriate design enquiry. This has been essential in the way in which the profession will need to innovate and prove the added value of any project, informed by clear evidence and research and rooted in place making.”

PAUL CLARKE, Housing and Land Directorate, Greater London Authority

As with any project, there were lessons to be learned along the way. Securing engagement from key parties can be a challenge for meanwhile projects, with the value and opportunities often not embraced by all. There is a need to involve the developer closely in the process as the meanwhile aims to have a truly informative role in the legacy of the site: it is not enough to have Local Authority and GLA involvement. For a project that is based around time, timings can prove to be an issue – especially with funding applications. The inherent reliance on pro bono work bases much of the project management on trust rather than power; it also means there can be a lack of experience or expertise in those involved through good will, but we find that the passion and dedication often wins through, leading to successful processes and outcomes.

Industri[us] challenges the idea of leisure and offers a new model for High Streets. Industri[us] is a place of work, making, learning, playing, exchange, trade and interaction. From make-do to ‘MAKE / DO’ . Fluid have been involved in the urban project since the 1990’s exploring the idea of dynamic planning and through architecture, planning and art based practice in the form of creative community engagement & participation. The practice sees the act of design as a process that engages in the social, cultural, economic, political and physical development of towns, villages and cities; with architecture a component of this, whose success is measurable in terms of how it contributes to the wider environment.

Although Industri[us] was only operational for a short space of time, the key to its success was the whole process of transforming the site not just the end product, with 10 traninees gaining employment following their involvement. Although the makeshift market structure was dismantled in September 2012, Fluid handed over the license for site to their partners Groundwork UK, who have continued to operate the site as a Re-use Centre, supporting community events such as car boot sales and retaining the Giant Canning Town Robot.

Industri[us] is an initiative set up in early 2011 by Fluid (architects and urban strategists) and collaborators. Centered around ‘upcycling’* and regeneration, it seeks to put vacant sites to creative interim use in advance of commercial development taking place. It was a winning entry in the Meanwhile London competition run by Property Week in partnership with the Mayors of London and Newham.

Developed in collaboration with local organisations and delivery partners, the eventual ‘Festival of Upcycling’ delivered in Canning Town in the summer of 2012 provided work experience and paid training opportunities for a number of young people and the long-term unemployed. It also supported a number of existing upcycling businesses and start-ups, making and selling products from furniture and art, to jewellery and fashion to create a showcase, and model for enterprise.

The initial proposal sought to occupy sites across the Royal Docks in East London, collaborating with the growing community of designers and makers working with waste materials and needing better access to the market; the resulting network connected with a supply of waste materials in Newham and across London, as well as innovation and education programmes. This dovetailed with the GLA’s vision for a Green Enterprise District, lead by the arrival of Siemens’ in the Royal Docks. * Upcycling is the making of desirable goods from waste materials i.e. items and materials that people and industries throw away.

, e

& al Lo c ba l G lo

UPCYCLE

ROBOTNIC is a mascot for realising the potential for value in waste.

B A

Robotnic will take us on a tour of the future …

LB Newh

o y n v m m u nit t o lve m en

The ENGINE ROOM is the brain of the operation and the home of our ‘innovation residencies’ open to 20 paid artists, scientists, makers and shakers.

Storage

Site office, market + hub

A/ Pinksy Plinths B/ Installation C/ Installation

Once a pile of old fridges, unwanted timber, a set of pneumatic jacks, assembled with the help of children and young people, he travels the sites.

Canning Town

e Th ink Spac M e e t S p a ce

C MPI OLY ING LK WA UTE RO

Box Park = start-up incubator + workshops + small-scale retail

Innovato r Live / Wo s Studio rk s

Laboratory

Collection + sorting

t io

Upcycling is the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of better quality or a higher environmental value.

is A r t ve I nt er

Siemens Crystal

Dis Exch play Trad ang e

Albert Dock

Montesquieu / Silvertown /Crawford JOURNEY

ExCel

London Borough of Newham Council Offices

footfall: 21,000,000 yearly

University of East London Sustainability Research Institute students: 26,315 staff: 509

2000 office workers

The THREE SITES are conceived as parts of a production line describing a massive engine of change populated by an evolving coalition of artists, alley entrepreneurs, social businesses, mentors, scientists and local people all focused on realising value from waste.

CANNING TOWN

SMALL ITEMS

Siemens Sustainability Centre

Docklands Waste Recycling Ltd

RECEIPT

KEY FOOTFALL

Millennium Mills

London City Airport

CA BL

Collections

KEY FOOTFALL

Williams Environmental

DLR + BUS

The LAUNCH PAD is where the results of Michael Pinsky’s commission will be exhibited and later sold (waste to art).

ROBOTNIC’S

Innovation residencies

LIN

footfall: 2,796,890 yearly

WASTE DIVERSION O2 Arena

Drop-offs

footfall: over 2 million yearly

Docklands Local Service Centre Recycled Material Supplies Ltd

REPEAT VISITS A NEW ECONOMY UPCYCLED PRODUCTS

Waste & cut-offs

NEW INTIATIVES + START UPS

Tr a d e

F G

LARGE

MEDIUM E INDUSTRI[us] F Lease Space G Small Industry

LARGE ITEMS

Pontoon Dock

Networks

MEANWHILE LONDON COMPETITION - INDUSTRI[US]’ WINNING SUBMISSION

Spectac

Industry

T W Th F

C ro

The MAKESHIFT MARKET is where larger or more complex products are channeled. This would include cars, containers (for Box Park), electronics goods including computers, TVs, fridges and such like.

Ideas

Exp

ExCeL

The project was created entirely from borrowed, used or reusable materials – including pavers from the nearby Olympics roadworks to plants, materials and whole gardens from the Chelsea Flower Show. Two temporary public squares were created on the Canning Town site, along with a street “pop-up” food market and a striking scaffolded pavilion to house an upcycling market and events.

C i

WHAT IS

SMALL

A REALLY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

VIEW FROM CONSTRUCTION CHERRY PICKER BACK TOWARDS CANNING TOWN STATION AND THE IOD - JUNE 2012

HOW IT WORKS

CHALLENGES OPPORTUNITIES

OBJECTIVES

Industri[us] is about helping communities to get back on their feet and thrive. It comes to a site that is sitting doing nothing and with an injection of short-term activity, it seeks to bring about positive longer-term changes: social, economic and environmental.

+ Support existing businesses and foster start-ups + Demonstrate economic potential of an area + Build a lasting skills base

As well as setting out to revalue waste materials, Industri[us] places the provision of training opportunities to help people in to employment and connecting communities at the centre of its operations.

+ Strengthen local networks and raise aspirations + Create a destination for a wider audience

It is becoming widely accepted that to be sustainable our future High Streets and town centres must be multi-functional social centres that: encourage activity, interaction and a range of experiences; are rooted in the interests and needs of local people; provide opportunities and the infrastructure for local enterprise; support local institutions; and meet demands for flexibility and change.

+ Promote ambitions of a ‘low-carbon economy’

By encouraging local innovation and being a platform for creating new businesses, Industri[us] directly addresses these objectives.

ASPIRATIONS

THE VALUE OF ‘WASTE’ MATERIALS SOME STAGGERING STATISTICS**

The scale of waste produced in London is vast. Of the 3,860,000 tonnes generated in 2009-2010, 68% went to landfill or for incineration and just 32% for recycling or reuse.

STELLATION CHAIRS. CHRIS BURTON

HOLDALL. FREITAG www.freitag.ch

+ 65,000 tonnes of quality reuseable products are currently being put into landfill by London householders alone each year

Neither the current nor the potential value of the upcycling* market are easy to quantify because, as an emerging industry, figures are not readily available. However, both the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) in the UK and Chicago’s Waste-to-Profit Network are demonstrating the capacity of waste and reuse to create new enterprise and employment; including old tyres turned into playground mats, restaurant cooking oils turned into biodiesel, old uniforms turned into bags and glass scraps turned into countertops. Despite the economic downturn, the picture for emerging creative and innovative businesses is relatively rosy.

+ Only 6,000 tonnes, around 10%, are currently being diverted away from landfill by re-use organisations + 40,000 tonnes is the Mayor’s target to be diverted through re-use by 2015 + In 2009-2010, 1.5 million tonnes of clothing went to landfill ** Figures sourced from LCRN / DEFRA. December 2011.

Meanwhile, the financial gain to manufacturers of putting their waste to new use is known to be considerable. Established brands such as Freitag and new brands such as Uncommonly Beautiful Recycled Accessories (see examples left) have entered the retail mainstream. In addition, there are an increasing number of high profile events focusing on fashion reuse, such as ‘super-swish’ clothes swaps.

UPCYCLING - MARKET LEADERS

The US company Terracycle, launched ten years ago, turns domestic waste into a range of products such as bags, flower pots and clocks. The annual turnover of $70,000 in 2004 became $8.7 million in 2009, whilst the number of employees is increasing by 10 a year.

* Upcycling is the making of desirable goods from waste materials i.e. items and materials that people and industries throw away.

The Swiss company Freitag, launched by two brothers in 1993, makes fashion bags out of lorry tarpaulins with car seat-belts for straps. In 2011, they have 120 employees in their Zurich factory, eight of their own stores (with more opening in Asia this year) and 400 retailers around the world selling their products.

NECKLACE. KIRSTY KIRKPATRICK www.uncommonlybeautiful.com

DRAWERS. RUPERT BLANCHARD www.stylingandsalvage.com

INDUSTRI[US] & NEWHAM’S WASTE NETWORK

LONDON BOROUGH OF NEWHAM IN CONTEXT*

In 2009-10, Newham generated around 140,000 tonnes of waste, of which only 21,000 tonnes (15%) went for recycling or reuse. Conversely, the borough has a long association with waste management; from a rich history in the ‘rag-and-bone’ trade and major waste collection businesses, to social enterprises promoting community recycling and generating employment through the resale of used products. Newham markets are also leading the way in reducing the waste they generate. At Queen’s Market, for example, the waste removed per month has been reduced from 40 tonnes to 7 tonnes, through educating stallholders as well as the diversion of waste materials for reuse.

+ Newham is the eleventh most deprived borough in England and Wales, and the fourth in London + Unemployment rates are double the national average + Almost a quarter of the population has no qualifications or workplace skills training

+ Looking to the future, Newham has the UK’s largest population of under-25s – totalling at over 40% of the borough’s population, that’s a lot of untapped talent * Figures sourced from NEF report on the 2012 Games and East London. April 2008.

Local waste streams in Newham include: + Construction offcuts and demolition salvage + Plastics + Paper and card + Salvaged wood + Glass and glass powder + Textiles and unwanted clothing + Unwanted / excess furniture Industri[us]’ proposals for the Royal Docks sought to feed in to the London Development Agency’s (LDA) vision for a Green Enterprise District (GED), which was spearheaded by the arrival of Siemen’s sustainable cities initiative: the ‘Crystal’.

ORIGINAL CONCEPT Industri[us] has a clear economic, social and environmental purpose: to create new businesses and jobs through harnessing waste as an economic opportunity.

Industri[us] is conceived as a production line – an engine of change populated by an evolving coalition of artists, entrepreneurs, social businesses, mentors and local people, all focused on realising value from waste.

The emerging market for upcycled goods demonstrates that such products can generate considerable value and that people are buying into the idea of “something created out of nothing”. Industri[us] fosters this creative transformation, by providing enterprise opportunities for existing upcyclers and facilitating others to enter the industry. Products

Skills & training

Commercial waste

Working in close collaboration with individuals, organisations and businesses, the initiative aims to build a lasting skills base, promote the sharing of knowledge and strengthen local networks – thereby helping to generate a sustainable local economy. Conceived as a production line in an ‘engine of change’, the original concept is made-up of three elements which are described in the following pages.

Revenue

LINKING TOGETHER EXPERIENCED UPCYCLERS AND NEW TALENT A MANUFACTURING BASE AND LOCAL ENTERPRISE CLUSTER

ENGINE ROOM The Industri[us] production line begins with the delivery and collection of materials suitable for reuse – from individuals, schools, markets, manufacturers – before they become part of the conventional waste disposal chain.

The Engine Room is the brain of the Industri[us] operation and home to a range of innovative producers – from start-ups and those in need of a launch pad, to existing enterprises looking to expand or to co-locate with others working in material reuse. UNTAPPED TALENT

EXISTING UPCYCLERS

Workshop spaces are provided for carpentry, jewellerymaking and other small-scale fabrication; while training and mentoring are offered for start-up creative businesses, linked with local professionals and groups through partnership schemes.

MATERIAL COLLECTIONS

Community groups and schools can come to the Engine Room for hands-on activities and learning.

MATERIAL DONATIONS

ENGINE ROOM

WASTE FROM BUSINESS

PRODUCTS DELIVERY PARTNERS

LINKING TOGETHER EXPERIENCED UPCYCLERS AND NEW TALENT A MANUFACTURING BASE AND LOCAL ENTERPRISE CLUSTER

STUDIO HERGEBRUICK, ROTTERDAM Meanwhile studio, meeting space and knowledge centre for designers working in material re-use. Created in an empty 1960s office building, the building is leased on an ‘anti-squatting’ licence.

SOUTH KILBURN STUDIOS, LONDON Creative enterprise initiative where tenants take on local trainees in lieu of rent payments. Created by South Kilburn Neighbourhood Trust and Brent Council with the Architecture Foundation and Practice

MAKESHIFT MARKET Completed products are delivered to the Makeshift Market – the Industri[us] ‘shopfront’ – where they are displayed and marketed to the public from stalls, located either within the covered arcade or under an exterior canopy.

At the Makeshift Market, products from the Engine Room workshops and other makers are displayed and sold in an ‘arcade’ – a demountable structure built from reused materials. Visitors can also learn workshop skills or how to ‘make-doand-mend’, whilst also enjoying food stalls and outdoor entertainments. A central ‘think space’ provides an ideas forum and ad hoc research base for upcycling; while smaller spaces are available for themed activities and discussions. By offering upcycled fashion, furniture, art and accessories – at competitive prices – Makeshift attracts a particular but growing type of consumer. It is a shopping destination, as well as a beacon of creative enterprise and green innovation, with the potential to be replicated on other sites. A variety of entertainment events staged at Makeshift draw in a wider audience and additional revenue, from makers fairs and fashion shows to fun science activities and DIY workshops.

LARGE STRUCTURES MADE FROM REUSED MATERIALS Image: ‘Vortex’ in The Hague by Raumlabor

SUPPORTING NEW MAKERS Image: Renegade Craft Fair in East London

UPSKILLING WORKSHOPS Image: Technology Will Save Us

CYCLE-POWERED CINEMA Image: Magnificent Revolution

“SOMETHIN’ FROM NOTHIN’ ” A TRADING POST FOR UPCYCLED PRODUCTS AND EVENTS AREA

SWISHING EVENTS Image: Swap Shopping

SPOTLIGHT The large Spotlight installations act as a highly visible signpost for Industri[us] and will prompt people to rethink the nature of waste.

Spotlight is a place for public spectacle, with large-scale installations designed to make people think twice about the nature of ‘waste’.

SPOTLIGHT

For example, Final Bid conceived by artist Michael Pinksy with Industri[us], is a weekly themed auction in which upcycled objects – created and donated by high profile designers – are suspended on pulleys beneath the DLR at Canning Town station. The starting height at which they’re poised in state of suspended animation depends on their reserve price. As the spectacle of the installation unfolds and the auction progresses, the objects ascend or descend reflecting the value of bids. In the final act of this dynamic installation, the objects are taken down and handed over to the highest bidders.

SHOWCASING THE VALUE OF WASTE MATERIALS A DYNAMIC LARGE-SCALE INSTALLATION

CONCEPT IMAGE PRODUCED BY FLUID

GREEN PIONEERS Green Pioneers, a seminar hosted by Industri[us], took place 1 November 2011 in Newham, with Fluid and support from Buro Happold and Happold Consulting.

“The exciting Meanwhile London project continues to inspire and attract creative pioneers who will become part of a thriving community here in the Royal Docks. The transformation is the product of fast regeneration that will exceed expectations and quickly become the place to be and see. Together with our partners we are establishing a ‘must-visit’ destination for the Capital’s creative captains.”

Six designers (see following pages) showcased the practice of upcycling by presenting their process of making products from reused materials. The designers were joined by four panel commentators, whose expertise lies in the field of sustainability: + Mike Cook, Senior Partner at Buro Happold + Padraic Kelly, Managing Director at Happold Consulting + Darryl Newport, Sustainability Research Unit at UEL + Lucy Siegle, Environmental Broadcaster and Journalist

CLIVE DUTTON, LBN Executive Director of Regeneration, Planning and Property & speaker at Green Pioneers

NOV 2011

“Every effort [has been] made to relay project progress [...] to the extent of organising a forum and event to publicly promote and develop ideas in an open way.”

Chaired by Lee Mallet, journalist and Director of Urbik, a discussion was opened up to the floor around how value can be created from materials that are commonly perceived as waste.

PAUL CLARKE, Urban Designer, Greater London Authority DEC 2012

EAST LONDON FURNITURE “At the start of the year I founded East London Furniture. Working predominately with timber, we design and sell a whole range of furniture including tables, chairs, benches, lighting, shelving, toys, anything we think of really! We use recycled materials for two main reasons: environment and cost. By enforcing an ethos of only using materials reclaimed from waste we are in no way responsible for creating and transporting new materials.

East London Furniture (ELF), founded by Christian Dillon in a temporary ‘meanwhile’ workshop, make furniture from materials salvaged from the streets of East London. The simple concept underpinning all of their products is to use materials that already exist, are considered waste and are in proximity to the place where the furniture is made. What started as one guy with a broken thumb making furniture for himself has now expanded to a collaboration between five designers (with nine working thumbs). Pieces range from chairs and stools, benches and dining tables to coffee tables and garden furniture. All pieces are handmade in store, are affordable, are honest, all designed with an emphasis on quality with a slightly quirky side.

Secondly, our business start-up with no initial investment would not have been possible without access to the ubiquitous excesses of a consumer-based society.“ CHRISTIAN DILLON, Founder, East London Furniture

East London Furniture took part in Clerkenwell Design Week 2011 running a successful Pallet Project. For ten days they collected over 50 pallets from the streets of Clerkenwell and made 25 pieces of furniture from a popup workshop built in a disused Subway sandwich shop on Exmouth Market.

CARAMEL ROCK “Caramel Rock chooses to reuse materials in order to sustain the environment where we live; we understand that we don’t always need something new and there are always things which we can reuse. When we do buy new things as an organisation, we always reuse everything we obtain.“

Caramel Rock is a high-end fashion label that is based in Canning Town, Newham: “although there are companies which recycle goods, they have to cut costs at some point in their manufacturing, which leads to these organisations transferring to developing countries and exploiting the people there to work at extremely low wages. Our programme offers people the opportunity to re-establish and build upon skills they already have. Caramel Rock ran a recycling project, where we reused old football banners.”

FAITH JOHNSON, Founder/Director, Caramel Rock

The training programmes run by Caramel Rock have no exclusions. We work with students from primary and secondary schools and run classes for ex-offenders and victims of crime. The outreach programme is geared towards those who are seeking to gain industry knowledge within fashion through work experience and weekly fashion classes. Caramel Rock also run a volunteer programme for those wishing to gain employment, improve their skills in the industry and help the community.

Industri[us] continued to work with Caramel Rock throughout the project and collaborated on a spin off project “Ceremoni[us]” where we developed the design of a comemorative bag made from the scrap materials left over from Caramel Rock’s creations for the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.

ROBOTS>>>> “Robots work predominantly with reclaimed wood, old furniture and discarded objects, entwining the layers of meaning inherent in this discarded resource into the sculpture. This creative approach makes all of our work sustainable and resource conscious, re-imagining and informing peoples conception of abandoned materials.“

Robots is an artist collective based in London, building large architectural-interventionist sculptures from reclaimed and recycled wooden objects. Robots draw inspiration from science, comics, street art, computer sciences and the content’ of skips. Formed in the summer of 2009, the core team consists of three full time artists; the collective encompasses a further ten sculptors, artists, set builders and art directors. Consistently working over the past three years, Robots have produced public art projects internationally and across the UK, including New York, Quito, Belfast and London. The artworks have also featured in music videos, galleries, festivals as well as numerous self-funded projects.

JEN PATTERSON & LEE WHITEMAN, Artists, Robots

All of the sculptures respond to and alter their site specific environment, achieving a unified aesthetic impact through the implementation of algorithmic creative processes and techniques. It is at once a highly localised site-specific intervention, and also part of an internationally recognised body of work, appearing on art blogs, online magazines and print publications including the New York Times and Dazed & Confused.

Industri[us] went on to commissionRobots>>>> to create an iconic giant robot for the site made entirely from reclaimed wood from local businesses. Industri[us] also linked local youth group Peacock Gym with organisation. Peacock Gym have now incorporated a module on upcyclying onto their curriculum.

BIKEWORKS “Bikeworks uses bicycles as a tool to achieve positive social and environmental change at a community level. One of our key programmes integrates bicycle re-use with creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged groups.”

Bikeworks is a five minute cycle ride from the Olympic Park in East London. The organisation, which was set up by Dave Miller and Jim Blakemore in 2007, sells and repairs bicycles and also recycles and restores old bikes that were destined for landfill. Bikeworks runs free cycle training courses to encourage more people, including those with disabilities, out of their cars and offers unemployed and other disadvantaged people training in cycle maintenance to help them to secure jobs in the booming cycle industry. Graduates of the scheme have gone on to full-time jobs with big firms such as Evans, Bike Hut and Cycle Surgery, who consistently have a requirement for skilled mechanics.

DAVE MILLER, Co-founder/Co-director, Bikeworks

Our environmental outcomes are to: reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill; raise awareness of the need to more carefully manage our resources and not ‘waste’; encourage cycling as a means of sustainable, environmentally friendly transport and reducing reliance on the car.

MAKERS CO “For me, sustainability is about finding abundant raw materials, whether natural (like bamboo) or recycled (like post-consumer plastic), and using them in such a way that they add value and can be recycled or refurbished. Product designers need to think about time as well as space: what happens next?“

Founded by Christopher Pett, Makers Co. provide production, design and marketing services, each tailored to key parts of the creative process. The production service is used by designers who have a great product idea and need some support bringing it to the shop floor. The design service is used by retailers and manufacturers who see a market opportunity, and need a seasoned design studio to develop the right product. The marketing service offers clients the benefit of all-round product development expertise, including advice and know-how about Internet marketing and how to communicate the benefits of sustainable manufacturing.

CHRISTOPHER PETT, Founder/Director, Makers Co

Makers Co. services were born out of a postgraduate innovation research project at Goldsmiths, University of London in the summer of 2010. With the coaching support of Goldsmiths’ design and business departments, we have created a full-featured service informed by ongoing work pioneered at Goldsmiths University. Makers Co. business model gives us the ability to scale-up and offer an economical service to designers, retailers and manufacturers.

KATHERINE RICHMOND “My work explores the fragile relationship between people, memory and objects. I use books as a symbol of permanence and longevity to create wearable objects that challenge traditional notions of wear-ability. Through the use of old books I am questioning our need for permanence and stability by embracing the beauty of the imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete.”

Katherine Richmond is an award-winning jewellery artist. Her current collection is titled ‘An Obsession Organised’. The jewellery explores the fragile relationship between people and objects, and the tensions between control and disorder. She uses pages from old books to create wearable pieces that question traditional values associated to the permanence of our material surroundings, embracing the beauty of the imperfect and incomplete. Katherine employs elements of chance into her making process making each piece completely unique.

KATHERINE RICHMOND, Jewellery Artist

Katherine’s professional training took place at the University of Central England’s School of Jewellery, in Birmingham where she graduated with a First Class Honours. In January 2005 she set up her own business and in 2008 she completed a MA in Jewellery, graduating with Distinction. Katherine is now focusing on developing her body of work made from books. She also aims to make teaching a fundamental part of her new creative practise, and hopes to explore her ideas on a much deeper level as part of a PhD in the near future.

BUILDING THE FIRST PROTOTYPE FROM CONCEPT TO LIVE PROJECT “The central ethos of the project was closely related to the principles embedded in the LDA’s Green Enterprise District and demonstrated an opportunity to [...] establish a greater awareness of the stakeholders that could help to deliver projects in the area. Importantly, the team recognised how to engage with the local community; particularly, involving young people with apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities.”

Our initial proposal sought to occupy three vacant sites across the Royal Docks in East London. The intention was to bring together the growing community of designermakers working with waste materials with the like-minded initiatives already in action across Canning Town and the Royal Docks area, as well as the thinkers who are exploring the regenerative potential of reuse.

EVENTS & ACTIVITTO SEE TO BE PA IES RT OF

F FUN L AL

‘MAKE & DO’ SPACES INVENTORS & CREATORS NEEDED

Industri[us] was announced as winners of the Meanwhile London competition in March 2011. In October of that year, we were awarded a single highly visible site in Canning Town for a period of up to 16 months from October of that year. In its final iteration, the proposed production line was realised on this one site as a ‘Festival of Upcycling’.

PAUL CLARKE, Urban Designer, Greater London Authority (GLA) DEC 2012

The following pages document the building of the festival, which was ultimately made possible by the services-in-kind donated by Groundwork London and Serco, as well as a lot of hard work from countless individuals who wowed us with their dedication to the initiative and energy.

SUCCESS STORIES

T GIANT ROBO G IN N N A C FOR TOWN

NEW PARK

POP-UP SQUARES

During the construction phase of the festival, young people from the local area were engaged in traineeships with Groundwork London and Serco to deliver the built elements of the project. Ten of these trainees have gone on in to full-time employment. In addition, a number of local people from Newham’s volunteer bank donated their time to help with site clearance and the watering of plants.

JULY 2011

“WHAT I LAST THREW OUT AND WHAT I’D TURN IT IN TO...”

BUILDING A COMMUNITY OF INTEREST The production line game was thought up to engage families, children, local residents and curious passers-by in the re-valuing of ‘waste’. Participants were asked to think about the last item they threw away and what they might do instead, to transform that item into something more valuable. Ideas included converting a washing machine into a dog kennel and a yoghurt carton into a model car! The Industri[us] team took the game to the Thrive Festival in Newham and the Open House event with Children’s City which took place on the empty Canning Town site.

NOVEMBER 2011

A BROWN FIELD After being awarded the Canning Town site in October 2011, we set foot on site for the first time one month later. What we found was a lot of flattened rubble and weeds, as well as traces of the housing estate that once occupied the site - pavements, street lights and even flower beds with rose bushes! We knew we would need a lot of help to make Industri[us] happen in Canning Town and went away for six months to find the right people to help us realise our first project.

DEC 2011 - APR 2012 ELEVATION make/shift canopy

A R T

are formed using building site ballast Creating two new public spaces and clad in recycled materials such as and gardens bicycle inner tubes, timber palettes and The north-west and south-west corners old doors – forming the backdrop to the of the site are opened up to provide market stalls of upcycled products. two small public squares, each with a wide public entrance: the first located Environmental directly opposite the pedestrian exit Creating value out of waste material from Canning Town Station, near The Place; and the second providing a pubic and developing an understanding of the value of waste; changing the way amenity space between Industri[us] and people perceive and deal with waste; PROPOSAL OVERVIEW the Caravanserai temporary project on building on Newham’s excellent record in the adjacent site allowing pedestrians to diverting waste away from landfill. flow through during opening hours.

Stre et

Shirle y

Stree t

Wouldh am Roa d

n Road

ad ille Ro

Halsv

Montesq uieu Terr ace

Clarkso

y (A13)

THE PLAC E

Silvertown Way

BUS STATION

ION DLR STAT

Location plan

The canopy is open on all 4 sides at the lower level, creating the impression that the building is floating. Interior programmable low energy LED colour wash lighting provided by Philips animates the structure at night-time and for public events. Weighted bases N

G005

new opening

Elevation - Wouldham Road

G005

7. 8.

art wall / seat

EVENTS SPACE +0.15 +0.00

FLUID

date: 17.02.12 checked by: CR

148 curtain road london EC2A 3AR t: 020 7729 0770 / f: 020 7729 0778

events space hospitality units (temporary structures) emergency exits for pedestrians (existing openings

16. 17.

art wall gantry with Industri[us] sign & projection screen

18.

indicative location of individual pitches at food court

19. 20.

art installation art wall with integrated seating

21.

bridge access

22.

projection tower (for screening of ﬁlms)

23. 24.

gravel or festival type ground covering ground covering as existing

22 4

make/shift canopy

+0.00

12 17

new emergency access for ﬁre tender

-0.10

new access for workshop units

existing hoarding

existing door

+0.15

Axonometric visualisation

Elevation - Clarkson Road

PUBLIC SQUARE

20 +0.00 +0.00

-0.10

FOOD COURT

G005 MONTESQUIEU

new public access

TERRACE

Canning Town Giant

+0.00

7 21

make/shift canopy

+0.75

PUBLIC SQUARE

+0.95

+0.75

+0.95

PICNIC AREA

new public access

N 2

existing hoarding

new access & temporary vehicular crossover

+0.00

G005

new signage

NOTES

project: INDUSTRI[US]

ER SILV

TOWN

drawing title: Proposed plan

WAY

purpose of drawing: planning

existing hoarding

dwg no: 1324a_G004

revision:

scale: 1:200 @ A1

date: 17.02.12

drawn by: KD

1 G005

new access

new square

1:400 @ A3

checked by: CR

FLUID 148 curtain road london EC2A 3AR t: 020 7729 0770 / f: 020 7729 0778 e: mail@ﬂuidofﬁce.com This drawing and the details contained therein are copyright and are not to be reproduced without the permission of Fluid Design Ltd. All dimensions relating to actual site conditions are to be checked on site prior to any works being commissioned or executed. Contractors are not to scale from this drawing and should refer any query in respect of dimension to the Architects.

Elevation - Montesquieu Terrace

DETAIL - MAIN STRUCTURE G005

800m the r dissi the s

22m

800mm

Shrink wrap stopped back from perimeter by 800mm

800mm

scaffolded structure shrinkwrap 'protech' skin

800mm

gantry (scaffolded) structure

Shrink wrap stopped back from perimeter by 800mm

recycled skeletal objects - e.g. bike

philips internal lighting recycled skeletal objects - e.g. bike 4 C shrinkage wrap / drainage

1.5m

5.5m

kentledge built up of four mesh bags ﬁlled with gravel target mass per bag 2000kg 2.6m

5.5m existing electrical substation

Long section

existing slab

revision:

1:2500@ A3

existing electricity substation units for selling of goods

13. 14. 15.

in hoarding))

drawing title: Location plan

drawn by: RH

compound for generator & refuse

1 x urinals, 1 x disabled / baby change) 11. 12.

+0.00

WORKSHOP ZONE

site manager's ofﬁcer staff unit / communal space

9. compound for storage of waste materials for reuse 10. compound for portaloos (up to 5 x female, 2 x male,

project: INDUSTRI[US]

scale: 1:1250 @ A1

decked area designated loading & unloading for workshop units & parking

existing door cycle parking

existing hoarding

10 new vehicular / existing doors emergency access

+0.40

dwg no: 1324a_G001

'Engine Room' workshop unit

3. 4. 5. 6.

WOULDHAM ROAD

NOTES

purpose of drawing: planning

designated disabled car parking spaces (existing parking bay)

for coaches (existing parking bay)

Tu rn

Str ee t

Newham Wa

bone

KEY

4.5m

y (A13)

Rath

G005

+0.00

Stre et

-0.10

CLARKSON ROAD

2.7m

bone

Rusc oe Ro

Rath

Ta nt

Aven

new access for delivery collection (moveable pavement crossover to be temporarily installed when in use)

Ave nu

new signage

0.3m

ston

make/shift canopy

Ibbo

The ‘Canning Town Giant’ and Make/Shift Canopy The giant Robot made from waste timber and the striking central structure, with a roof-line at 9-10m create an impact and draw attention to the project from the station platforms at Canning Town and the surrounding areas. The finely crafted outer ‘skin’ of the Make/ Shift canopy is made from shrink-wrap moulded over decorative de-constructed waste objects such as bicycles, ladders, ironing boards and bed heads.

PLAN SUBMITTED FOR PLANNING

4.5m

Location The site is located on Silvertown Way opposite Canning Town station a major transport hub and The (work)Place – Newham’s local recruitment centre. It is part of the masterplan for regeneration of the area and is surrounded by other cleared sites, site compounds, a residential area earmarked for demolition and new apartments to the south.

A grass mound, running almost the length of the site, along Silvertown Way, provides a picnic area adjacent to the Canning Town Giant robot. A curved inner hoarding in the newly formed square by local artist group Rosetta Arts is based on workshops with local schools around the Olympic theme. The hoarding provides the back to a long bench made from recycled materials. S I L V

G005

W A L

new square

hoarding facing Silvertown Way to show information about project - detail to follow

Elevation - Silvertown Way

TERRACE

Industri[us] at Canning Town consists of three elements: the Engine Room: a ‘mews’ of temporary studios for Groundwork UK and other collaborators and partners of Industri[us]; the Make/ Shift trading post: a demountable and innovative canopied structure, using temporary building techniques, housing up to 25 small self-build units for displaying and selling products, around a central circulation and community space; and the Outdoor Events Space: for training workshops, hands-on educational activities, public displays and art installations. In addition a food court, with up to 20 ‘pitches’, offering affordable cuisine from around the world and a back-of house compound for public and staff facilities and storage of materials.

new opening entrance

MONTESQUIEU

DESIGN

Newham Wa

Robot Giant timber clad structure

new signage

22m

43 attenuation tank for rainwater drainage

Short section

MAY 2012

GREEN GIFTS With the end of Spring came deliveries by Conways of plants and whole show gardens from Chelsea and Hampton Court Flower Shows. We returned to the site in May 2012 where Groundwork London and Serco had already gotten underway with rotivating the earth to remove weeds and scattering grass seed.

JUNE 2012

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS By June, a number of young people had started their traineeships under the skill and guidance of Groundwork London and Serco. Hoardings were sprayed with I N D U S T R I [ U S ], public squares were laid brick by brick and flowers and bushes planted out on to what was now a grassy mound. Local artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; collective Rosetta Arts began the Artlympic Wall, which would form part of the East End Art Trail. Isle of Thanet (IOT) Scaffolding also began the assembly of Makeshift pavilion, and as the metal poles grew further up towards the sky each day, so did our excitement as we realised the festival really could and would happen.

JUNE 2012

ROBOT BUILD In the same month, the artists’ collective ROBOTS>>>> built the Canning Town Giant, a site specific art installation made from reclaimed timber. It was conceived as a large crouching human figure, with one hand gripping the hoardings and the other holding on to a tree, looking towards Canning Town station and acting as a marker, drawing attention through its scale and audacity: “In the way that nature reclaims a building, the frozen state of this giant has invited inhabitants to populate its surface. Industrious birds and other tree dwelling critters have built little houses all over the figure [...] echoing the surrounding human dwellings in the real world, housing estates, tower blocks etc.”

OPEN WEEKEND As the festival was built, we held an open weekend in June 2012 to allow the public, as well as friends and family of Industri[us] collaborators, to see the ‘work in progress’ and sample Urban Feasts’ tasty street food. Coinciding with the London Festival of Architecture, F-a-c-e Designers + Makers installed their ‘love hut’ in which people left their love messages to London.

This was an opportunity to give a taster to local people - who came and showed their interest in getting involved and how the project would positively improve the image of the area, as well as provide opportunities.

JULY 2012

SCALING UP July brought a lot of sunshine... and equal amounts of heavy rain! The landscaping neared completion, its progress boosted by Balfour Beatty with their daily deliveries of unused materials from the nearby Olympic road works. Oxford Brooke’s playful ping pong pavilion was delivered and the Makeshift pavilion completed. Most memorably, the ‘two Pauls’ from Serco helped Industri[us] team members to scale the facade of the Makeshift scaffolding skeleton to attach unwanted items that had been saved from landfill by Bikeworks and Newham’s very own Wombles, serving as a playful reminder of the concept behind Industri[us] and the Festival of Upcycling.

ALL LIT UP Once Makeshiftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scaffolding skeleton had been shrink-wrapped by the SCA Group, Philips powerful yet energy-efficient LED lights were installed by The Ambassadors Group and Architainment to a design coordinated by DPA Lighting. The switch was hit and our fun palace came alive!

FESTIVAL OF UPCYCLING THE FESTIVAL “The reason you should support a project like this is that it brings local people together and a festival like this creates a great buzz in this area for Newham.”

The Festival of Upcycling officially launched on 27 July 2012, coinciding with the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and closed in early September. Located on Silvertown Way and opposite Canning Town Station, the site fronted on to the Olympics Spectator Walking Route which led down to ExCeL. By day the Canning Town Giant provided a highly visible marker for the project, and by night the Makeshift pavilion became an illuminated beacon. BACK OF HOUSE OUTDOOR EVENTS SPACE

UPLIFTING CHOICES EXHIBITION

PING PONG PAVILION MAKESHIFT MARKET & COVERED EVENTS SPACE

FAITH JOHNSON, Director, Caramel Rock

A broad audience was sought from those with an interest in re-use and design, to those who wished to buy their lunch from the street food market, or to explore the makeshift market and showcase of upcycled design and local goods for sale. A number of live music nights were staged, which attracted audiences from the local area and further afield. During its time in operation, it supported a number of existing upcycling businesses and start-ups, who make and sold products from furniture and art, to jewellery and clothing.

SITE HQ COURTYARD SPACE

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW GARDENS

FOOD COURT PUBLIC SQUARE

PLAN “AS BUILT”

UPLIFTING CHOICES EXHIBITION Research into the practice of upcycling uncovered many exemplar arts and designers who had established awardwinning businesses, showcasing the quality and innovation that can be created from what others discard. Kirsty Kirkpatrick, founder of anti-landfill fashion accessory label Uncommonly Beautiful has been a champion and key consultant with Industri[us] from the very beginning. Kirkpatrick trained in Constructed Textiles at Duncan of Jordanstone School of Art and Design, Dundee, and then went on to study at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London, graduating with a Postgraduate Diploma in Textile 4 Futures. With an architectural background in project management and lighting design these experiences influence her design and attracted her to work with Industri[us].

‘Sustainability is a philosophy that constantly runs through my processes in life, all matters of design and problem solving. For me communication and story telling can be just as powerful through design as any other means.” KiRSTY KIRKPATRICK, Founder, Uncommonly Beautiful

EXHIBITORS •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• •• ••

Kirsty was invited to work with Crona to curate an exhibition to showcase those designers that couldn’t participate in the Market Place but who we wished to also celebrate in the Festival of Upcycling. In all seventeen designers/companies were reoresebted in the exhibition, those exhibiting varied from an established interior company REestore who make armchairs from shopping trolleys to cushions made from the bicycle tyre inards. Uplifting Choices was also the first venue to feature Thames and Hudson’s latest publication on fashion upcycling “Remake It - Clothes”.

[Re] Design Barley Massey Emma Ware Good One Hendzel&Hunt Holly Rose Junky Styling Ken Wai Kurt Ledbetter Laurie Kamann Osian Bolt Po-zu Rebecca Alderman REestore Tinker Tailor Uncommonly Beautiful We Make

AUGUST 2012

SIGNAGE BY “DUGGAL VISUAL SOLUTIONS” FROM USA

GRAFFITI GARDEN DECORATED BY “

“

MAKESHIFT “UPCYCLE” MARKET STALLS

VISITORS ENJOYING FOOD

NIGHT TIME ENTERTAINMENT / LIGHT SHOW

WHAT WE LEARNT Other lessons we learnt:

In November 2012, the Architecture Foundation (AF) interviewed Industri[us] for their ‘Learning from Others’ research piece on ‘Creating Closed Loop Systems in Meanwhile Construction’ that they carried out on for London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC).

LESSONS LEARNED

+ One of the problems was that the real project was elsewhere (could have been located within the Olympic Park), so key parties didn’t engage. + “Interim” is a better term than “meanwhile”.

In the AF’s analysis they drew out some of the useful lessons learnt from Industri[us], including “what works” for such projects:

+ Commitment of partners - pro bono means you have no power and everything is dependant on trust. + Consider timing for funding applications. + Lack of experience / expertise.

+ Building strong links with the local community. + Offering training opportunities at the construction phase and throughout the project. + Producing complimentary events and public programmes to attract new audiences. + Hosting a series of different functions on one site to increase the offer. + Working with partners you can rely on to offer additional support.

MADE BY... WE COULD NOT HAVE GOT BY WITHOUT HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS

“Very good submission for the Meanwhile Uses competition, and [...] feedback from colleagues at Newham Council was very good. The final design [...] was an interesting, organic proposal which made good use of the site’s visibility and proximity to Canning Town tube station. [The Festival of Upcycling] should definitely be seen as a success in terms of innovation, empowering the community and working in direct partnership with key stakeholders.”

It would not have been possible to deliver the Festival of Upcycling in Canning Town without a great many individuals, organisations and businesses.

A BIG THANK YOU Industri[us] has been very fortunate to have received advice, guidance and skills from everyone involved and we must thank them all for their massive energy and enthusiasm for the project.

JULIA WILLIAMS, Strategic Regeneration, LB Newham

ROY & DANNY

FRANK

PETER

JOHN, CHRISTINA & CRONA

STEPHEN

GW TRAINEE

SIAN & RUBY

CHRISTO & LOUIS

BOB

TERENCE, TOMASZ, KAT, MEGAN, MARGHERITA, DIEGO

GW TRAINEE

RICKI & GW TRAINEE

JOHN & STUART

CLARE

RACHEL

DELIVERY TEAM

MAJOR SPONSORS

OTHER SPONSORS

Industri[us] is created and delivered by Fluid with Buro Happold.

The Festival of Upcycling in Canning Town was able to take place due to the generous support of Groundwork London and Serco.

The Festival of Upcycling was also supported by a number of other companies and organisations.

MENTORS

PARTNERS

Some marvellous minds have helped to develop Industri[us] from concept to realisation. In particular, we must thank the following people for their sharing their expertise and insights: + Christopher Pett, Makers Co + David Barrie, DBMP + Farrah-Hassan Hardwick, Arup + Guy Robinson, Sprout Design + Iain MacKinnon, The MacKinnon Partnership + Kirsty Kirkpatrick, Uncommonly Beautiful + Michael Pinsky, artist + John Thackara, Doors of Perception

Our thanks also to Harriet’s Trust and Alison Goldberg and Penny Fitzpatrick for their support of the Festival of Upcycling.

COLLABORATORS

FESTIVAL BUILDERS

The Festival of Upcycling was delivered with the help and input of a number of inspiring organisations, businesses, social enterprises and designer-makers.

Many people helped construct the Festival of Upcycling in Canning Town and there are a number of which we would like to mention individually. Adam – Upcycling Anna – The Dorset Cider House Ashley – Stewarding Bob - Construction Caf – Industri[us] Christina – Industri[us] Clare – Industri[us] Colin – Groundwork London Danny – Groundwork London Danny – Stewarding Davina – Urban Feasts Deustche Bank - away day volunteers Diego – Industri[us] Ed – Groundwork London Frank – Landscape Group Fred – Security George – The Pearly King of Peckham Groundwork London - all the trainees Hector - The Dorset Cider House

Henretta – Upcycling Jacqueline – Upcycling James - The Cockney Museum Jason – Upcycling Jay – Security Jim – The Cockney Museum John – Carpentry Kat – Industri[us] Kerry – Upcycling Lee – Anchor House Louise – Upcycling Margherita - Industri[us] Matt – The Dorset Cider House Max – Upcycling Megan – Industri[us] Mick – Security Nina – Upcycling Osian – Upcycling Patrick – Stewarding

A number of icons used in Industri[us]’s infographics have been sourced from The Noun Project.

NEWHAM WOMBLES

Peter – Carpentry Rebecca – Upcycling Ross – Harrisons Funfair Roy – Groundwork London Rhys – Stewarding Sandra - Groundwork London Sarah – Upcycling Seung – Upcycling Simon – Upcycling Steven – Harrisons Funfair Sven – Upcycling Terence – Industri[us] Terrell – Stewarding Tomasz – Industri[us] UBS - away day volunteers Warren – Security Zhanell – Industri[us]