3 people writing on a piece of paper

Reimagining Vacancy led by RESOLVE

In the final workshops the participants will materialise spaces, programmes, processes that can seek to work within this condition so deeply felt by the town centre.

Each stage of the workshop will build up the tools to re-think and re-imagine vacant croydon. In the final workshops the participants will materialise spaces, programmes, processes that can seek to work within this condition so deeply felt by the town centre.

 

EVERYTHING MUST GO!

“Often when there’s no logic, is when you know you’re in someone’s dream” – adrienne maree brown, “We are in a time of new suns”, interview with Krista Tippett for ‘On Being’, 2022

Since the 12th century, a dream of Croydon Town Centre has been pinned up and torn down time and again, papering over unappealing realities to make way for new imaginaries. From John Whitgift to James Marshall, Kennards to Westfields, the high street holds traces of the schemer, plotting to shape its past and future in his image. As each dream fades, communities are left with the tombstones of the underimagined, vacant shops and empty high streets that weren’t detailed out in yesterday’s plan.

We are encouraging communities of Croydon to join us on a process of collective reimagination. Across 6 workshops we will use sound, mapping and hands-on making to interrogate Croydon’s current condition and reimagine a community-centred future. Participants will share their experiences of and connections to the local area, trace and manipulate sounds and forage discarded material in order to build a tool-kit to reimagine vacancy in Croydon Town Centre and rehearse new models of high street operation. The work will contribute to Turf Projects latest season, MakeRoom, and provide input into a blueprint for regenerative spatial practice in Croydon’s vacant town centre.

The power to reimagine is not new, nor is it radical. And this time it won’t be led by a guy named John (or James).

ABOUT RESOLVE COLLECTIVE

RESOLVE is an interdisciplinary design collective that combines architecture, engineering, technology and art to address social challenges. They have delivered numerous projects, workshops, publications, and talks in the UK and across Europe, all of which look toward realising just and equitable visions of change in our built environment.

 

KEY ACCESS INFO​

  • To help us support you best, please let us know if you have any access needs when booking.
  • For access info about getting to Turf and the Turf space, click here.
  • Our unit in the Whitgift Centre is 4 minutes walk (0.2 miles) from Wellesley Road Tram stop via the underpass, and 7 minutes walk (0.3 miles) from West Croydon Station and 8 minutes walk (0.4 miles) from East Croydon station.

 

WORKSHOP CODE:

Turf aims to be a space where all are welcomed & respected. We ask all attendees to align with this spirit when booking and support us in creating a welcoming & collaborative atmosphere together. We ask that everyone is;

  • Kind and respectful in our language and behaviour towards others. Turf is a space which is anti racism, sexism, homophobia and ableism.
  • Considerate of others’ time; allowing others room to speak & engage.
  • Respectful of the space itself as belonging to many people, treating the space & objects with care.
  • Attend wherever possible: In 2023, around 30% of people booking free tickets didn’t turn up! Our free tickets are limited and in high demand. Every person who doesn’t turn up means someone else can’t attend, so please let us know if you can’t make it to free up a space. If you don’t attend twice or more without letting us know, you may be restricted from booking again.

Part of:

Resolve Collective, Ama Dodzro, Print Collective, Solo Wood Recycling, Fashion Meets Music, Heather Lawrence, Daisy Young, Rebecca Sainsot-Reynolds and Rosie Crane Eckmire
( Jan 2023 )

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