CSM Croydon (2016) 04 croyden

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A NS I ENT ASSEMBLIES Exploring the urban thresholds which shape Croydon’s subcultures

index — project statement

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Project Statement Croydon’s existing infrastructure lacks connectivity. This lack of connectivity in the physical landscape is reflected in the social segregation of the communities that reside there. Built for the car, Croydons heyday has been and gone.

What is left now is an uneven typology of levels, creating inconspicuous moments and spaces for negative, antisocial behaviour to thrive. Identifying a need for youth space in central Croydon as a result of uncovering the different subcultures that exist there, we hope to activate these unused spaces to promote a connectivity in not only the mini metropolis but in and amongst the people themselves.

By exploiting the pre-existing networks between these groups of young people, we aim to create both a tangible space and an intangible place.

Social and Urban Conditions On our trips to Croydon we found ourselves interacting most with the Croydon Collegestudents. Croydon College is located in the same concrete island as Fairfield Halls, and is just a few minutes walk from East Croydon train station.

Initially the students seemed quite unwelcoming, but after breaking the verbal barrier we discovered that they had a lot of thoughtsand ideas for the area surrounding the college.

Thoroughfare

College Students

Implementation

Lack of activities for the youth to do in noneducational hours

Skate parks and music venues were the most suggested additions to be made to the area. After conducting these surveys we went back and implemented our own programme, using stickers with suggestive buzz words with spaces underallowing people to fill in their thoughts on each topic.

The feedback from stickers showed their attitude towards croydon was negative, however, the attitude towards the arts was very positive and enthusiastic

The stickers have given a voice to thestudents we have been inspired to design for. We found that the students were actually ‘snapchatting’ (a mobile messaging service that sends a photo or video to someone that lasts only up to 10 seconds before it disappears) our stickers on their phones and sending it to each other.

current situations and conditions

Drugs and Homelessness

Networking 3

We aimed to indentify network infrastructures that already exist in the immediate vicinity of Fairfield Halls and also started to look at how subculture in Croydon is a product of the genres of music hosted there in specific, previous decades. Fairfield Hall was pivotal in the exposure of alternative genres and gave unheard people a voice as a result of self regulated events.

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Identifying these different networks drew our attention to the distinct lack of youth venues in the borough, in contrast with the vast network of licensed, 18+ spaces which don’t promote the arts or culture of Croydon.

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Acknowledging the intangible networks of recreation that already exist between 16-25 year olds, we built up a narrative with our primary research on site.

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Residential Network

Community Network 18. Impact Academy 19. Educational Excellence & Wellbeing 20. Edridge Road Community Health 21. Time 4 Me 22. Early Learners 23. Fairfield School of Business 24. My PT Studio

Ar ts, Culture & History Network 28. Whitgift Almshouses 29. Vue Cinema 30. Matthews Yard 31. Braithwaite Halls 32. Defunct Odeon 33. Never Say Die Tattoo Studio 34. RISE Gallery 35. Fairfield Halls

26. Croydon College 27. Croydon Police Station

Retail & Miscellaneous

Licensed Venues 36. The Bulls Head 37. The Big Spoon 38. Porto Nuovo 39. Detit Cafe 40. The Green Dragon 41. Goose 42. Moj y Moj Burger 43. Ship 44.The Spread Eagle 45. Rodizio Preto 46. The Dutchie Restaurant & Cocktail Bar 47. Wetherspoons 48. The Milan Bar & Tiger Tiger 49. The Odd Shoe 50. Alchemy 51. Bad Apple 52. Roxbury Nightclub 53. The Slug & Lettuce 54. The George

contextual underpinning and research

Vacant Network 1. Surrey Street Car Park 2. Exchange Square Water Pumping Station 3.Surrey Street Goods Delivery 4. Outlet Village Car Park 5. West St George’s Walk 6. St George’s Walk Offices 7. East St George’s Walk 8. 26-28 Park Street 9. Nestle UK 10. 17-20 Katharine Street 11. 20 George Street 12. 66 George Street 13. 22 Park Street 14. Fairfield Halls Car Park 15. Queens Gardens 16. Leon House 17 . Edridge Road

FAIRFIELD HALLS 1962 promotion of arts and culture

THE GREYHOUND 1969 self-regulated events

BRIT SCHOOL 1999 education based

BOXPARK 2016 commercial entity

20th - 21st Century Music Development in Croydon

1990

1972 1970s TOTAL NO. OF NEW MUSIC VENUES: 9 The Greyhound, Blue Orchid, The Fountain Head, The Ship, Swan & Sugar, Loaf, Croydon Folk Club, Snifters, McCluskies, Grim Reaper

1962 1960s TOTAL NO. OF NEW MUSIC VENUES: 3 Fairfield Halls, The Star Hotel, The Tooting Granada

1976 LATE 70s — 1980s

TOTAL NO. OF NEW MUSIC VENUES: 5 The Cartoon, Red & White Bar, Scream Lounge, Green Dragon, The Oval Tavern

The opening of the Fairfield Halls in 1962 brought with it a boom in music venues and fundamental music genres, like punk and dubstep, to the British music scene. However, now there are far less independent venues and more branded chains. Therefore, making it difficult for the current youth to find a place where the can express themselves creatively in a self contained environment, which was how these now well-received genres were initially created.

1990s TOTAL NO. OF NEW MUSIC VENUES: 3 BRIT School, Scream Studios, The Cartoon

2000 — NOW EARLY 2000s — NOW

TOTAL NO. OF NEW MUSIC VENUES: 3 Black Sheep Bar, Box Park, Scream Lounge

1992 1990s TOTAL NO. OF NEW MUSIC VENUES: 4 BRIT School, Big Apple Records, Scream Studios, The Cartoon

Vacant Network Fairfield Art College Sub Level Qualities: Dark and Sheltered. Very little natural light.

Arnhem Gate Qualities: Protected by College and Fairfield Halls. Outdoor with constant natural light.

St George’s Walk Offices Level 2 Qualities: Windows allow some natural light to enter the space.

Nestle UK Level 7, 10 and 16 Qualities: Large commercial space.

Many windows for light.

Surrey Street Goods Delivery Qualities: Ground floor of building.

Natural light from the shopfront and windows.

St George’s Walk West Qualities: Ground floor level for shopfronts.

Queens Gardens Qualities: Outdoor green space with trees and ponds. Garden of the Town Hall and council.

St George’s Walk East Qualities: Ground floor level shopfronts.

Edridge Road Qualities: Car park/ Building site.

Neighbour to buildings, car parks and the flyover.

26-28 Park Street Qualities: 12 shopfronts and 5 floors above all vacant. Dark and neglected.

Croydon Outlet Village Level 5 Qualities: Located beside train track, constant noise pollution.

17-20 Katharine Street Qualities: Indoor, high ceilings, very dark, quiet.

20 & 66 George Street Qualities: Indoor, ground level, natural light, noisy.

Fairfield Halls Level 1 & 3 Qualities: Large multi level carpark.

Constant ventillation.

Surrey Street Level 3 Qualities: Large multi level carpark.

Located next to High St, densely populated area.

Appear Here supplies people with space for Pop Up shops

Linking Space and Opportunity with the User

- They connect landlords vacant spaces to people with great ideas - Enable growth beginning on a small scale - Give the opportunity for people to supply what is missing - Listing and Booking options

Appear Here

design agenda

Leon House Qualities: Ground floor sheltered carpark. Located on High Street, constant ventillation and minimal natural light.

Placemaking and Legacy

The Decorators at Fairfield - A discussion about The Fairfield area, its past, present and future uses. It was a try-out for a possible future of the site and host to a festive day of local food, discussion, football and a workshop on how to put on your own event.

- Gave the local residents a voice in the future of their community - Encouraging people to be active citizens as well as more sociable with each other.

The subcultures of Croydon are general evidence and products of the genres of music from different decades. When Fairfield Halls opened in the 60s it began a theme of live music and led to the exposure of alternative genres that influenced new kinds of music.

We investigated the current subcultures growing out of Croydon’s historic culture and implemented the users of these subcultures into a our programmattic development.

The Decorators

This made a forum so it created a legacy, which is something we want promote.

accessibility means inclusion

The connectivity of Croydon is disjointed thanks to the carcentric movement which occured back in the 50s and 60s. In order to connect sites with each other we looked at taking a less literal approach and exploited present technological movements like mobile phones.

inclusive and self-regulated design gives sense of ownership

promotes community integration from grass roots

growing respectable figures from communities

Football as popular recreation and a game “Of the People” has succeeded in creating legacy through it’s accessibility and ease of setting up. Taking elements of this into our design will ensure successful implementation.

design strategies

Connectivity

Singular Implementation The subcultures of Croydon are general evidence and products of the genres of music from different decades. When Fairfield Halls opened in the 60s it began a theme of live music and led to the exposure of alternative genres that influenced new kinds of music.

We investigated the current subcultures growing out of Croydon’s historic culture and implemented the users of these subcultures into a our programmattic development.

We decided in the end that we had to take a less schematic approach and made the concept more abstract. Taking elements from each programme rather than straight recreation.

LMN designed pop up street furniture - Eight movable modules have an endless number configuration, and can be used by anyone in the street.

- Transformed a street in Seattle to a playground for all ages.

We want to implement this same temporary hub of social activity, by creating a space that is converging programmes.

LMN Architects

conceptual development

Abstract Realisation

Event in your area! Click here for details

“If only it was that easy to have your own gig”

swipe

“Jaded and fed up.”

click

“Nothing to do in this area, yet again.”

bzz bzz bzz bzz Jamal you have to see this event on this new app, we are defo going on Friday dude

Hey John, check out this app: appstore.co.uk/croyDEN - Let’s put on a show!

click click

click

Band member JOHN DOE was unenthusiastically surfing the web for the tenth time that day.

Croydon College student JAMAL DOE strutted out of college after a class where he had to dissect a pig’s heart.

With no events in his future, JAMAL returns home and lays on his bed and scrolls through newsfeeds of all social networking sites imaginable. looks kl! lets tell every1 tomorrow

“So cool”

The next morning

“BOOKED!”

JAMAL shows his mates in college.

“Sasha, did you hear about the Menthol Brothers event tomorrow? Here check it.”

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The next day click click

JOHN AND THE BAND went to find the venue.

That night..

“I think it must be right around the next corner boys”

SWIPE LEFT TO DECLINE OR SWIPE RIGHT TO ACCEPT

“Awesome!”

Rob: Hey man! I’m excited for tomorrow

JOHN AND JAMAL ILLUSTRATING ORGANISER AND USER FOR CROYDEN Don’t forget the Menthol Brothers is today!

“This is sick. Nice one mate.”

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“Not a bad find John”

“Thought these would be way heavier to move” Event today! Click for what you’ll need

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Today is the day!

JOHN AND THE BAND go to arrange and put together their set for the day. The sun is shining!

an hour later...

“Have you seen who has RSVP’d for this?”

“YEH! Like 150 responses on the app.”

JAMAL turns up to the venue just before the event and sees his old friend JOHN is running around like he’s in charge.. Leaving JAMAL thinking.......

storyboard

click

th re s hold

Design acting as a threshold funelling activity and creating infinite outcomes

Thresholds and Insertion A schematic approach was not successful for temporary, multi use design so we revisited the idea of ‘Connectivity’ and what it meant in digital and analog realms. We developed the idea of thresholds and insertion, implementing a physical programe wihich encourages participatory design and self regulated enterprise.

conceptual drivers

fluid combinations

We developed a building block system within a structural frame that users would slide the different pieces in and out of, we intended each piece to be slightly oversized for one person to move alone, encouraging two people to interact with each other thus creating connectivity.

Each block is multi use; one block could be used as a table or a skate ramp. The pieces are activated by different users in different ways depending on the programme they want to project on it.

A key design feature was for this to be a physical threshold, that is not imposing to the surrounding area. So that when it’s not in use it can hide away under the arch.

design in action

Ă„RNHEM 1.

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PERFORM

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SKATE

The multi-use, multi-user pieces respond to their immediate surroundings and environmental needs. A live theatre performance could be happening on the higher level whilst skaters occupy the lower plane with left-over pieces. The user projects their needs onto the blocks, activating a previously disused space.

SHOP

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Plan 1:100

Section 1:100

technical drawings

Elevation 1:100

urban scale 1:500