Shortlisted for Camden Adventure Playground and Centre

erect architecture has just been shortlisted for the Camden Adventure Playground and Centre, but until we know the result we will sit tight on the details. The other shortlisted are muf architecture art and Kinnear Landscape Architects.

Exploring - with the users: What is play? Processes featured in Building Design's Drawing Board.

This week's (Feb 09, 2009, issue 24) Building Design Drawing Board focuses on two of erect architecture's recent playground projects, Found Sound and Cranston Estate. In the interview we discuss our methods of involving users in exploration and design from the very beginning, appropriating forgotten spaces and found objects to widen the brief as well as challenge and expand the conception of play and the site. The process not only instills a sense of ownership but during the workshops the participants obtain skills which allow them to change and add to the playgrounds in the future.
See BDonline for the full article.

RIBA Design for Education Charette

erect architecture was selected to take part in the Design for Education Charette, which took place at the RIBA on Feb 6th.
Our clients for the day were 4 year 7 pupils from Southfields Community College in Wandsworth, a 1400 pupil secondary school also offering an extensive range of adult education classes as well as community facilities.
During a long and intense day we made a proposal for the re-design of the external school grounds. The formulation of shared use spaces for school and community as well as measures to create a social environment whilst deterring the formation of gangs were at the centre of our investigations.

Found Sound - a musical instrument

From the outset of the Old Ford Primary playground project, erect architecture were keen to involve children into the conception and building of their playgrounds. We wanted this involvement to go beyond producing children's drawings and talking about it. It was important for us to include an element of learning and spatial awareness. We had proposed to create a Musical Instrument, which was to be conceived and built in a series of experimental workshops with yr 2 pupils once the playground was complete. How did we go about it?

A brief introductory talk supported by video clips demonstrated the creation of sound through experimenting with found objects. The pupils went on to experiment with different sounds and techniques using many collected, recycled and found objects. The sounds were soon to be focused on expressing emotions: happy, sad, excited, calm, scary (tying in with the curriculum: ‘Who am I?’ ‘What are my emotions?’ ). During the following session the children built small installations to explore these emotional sounds spatially.
Based on these installations, erect architecture proposed a concept for the final built piece: Found objects were to be suspended within a cube to define four different emotional spaces: The open happy space challenging children to jump in order to reach bright sounding objects is followed by the curved low anticipation tunnel with ambiguous sounds. In a surprise moment, the tunnel opens up into the tall and sombre calm space, complete with chair and tree&sky view. Different floor finishes support the different sound qualities. The children mocked up the volumes of the three different spaces according to their spatial requirements (’How tall does it need to be to be reached by jumping?’) whilst the frame was erected by an artist/contractor. After exploring the sound quality of the found objects, the children placed the sound objects within the frame and assisted the suspending of the objects. The opening performance is pending...

'Processes' - Upcoming lectures

'Processes' will be the topic of our upcoming lectures at Bath University (Thu, 29.1., 6.30pm) and Plymouth University (Thu, 12.2., 6.30pm). We will be looking at projects on our drawing board, talking about developing stories and engagement.

Studio in the Woods 2009

It was such an inspiring event last year (see participation for pictures of last year's badger seat) ... we are going back! erect architecture will be taking part in the SitW2009, the 4th annual Studio in the Woods for architects and students from 9. -12. July.
During a long weekend site specific installations will be designed and explored through construction. SitW will take place in the beautiful countryside around Kemerton in Gloucestershire. Other tutors include MitchellTaylor Workshop, Mole Architects, Gianni Botsford and Kate Darby. Visiting critics will be Ted Cullinan, Peter Clegg and Charley Brentnall.
The studio is organized by MitchellTaylorWorkshop. For more info and registration form see www.mitchelltaylorworkshop.co.uk/studio.asp

Playing AND Exploring -- Welcome shift in policy making

We always believed in it and sometimes had to fight hard for it: Playing and the need for exploring, creativity, challenge and adventure…and nature.
From our very first playground, Haggerston Park, we designed playspaces following these core beliefs. Now they are official…and being listened to! Increasingly clients request playgrounds, which follow the Play for England Guidance: Design for Play. This guidance emphasizes the need for children to play in natural environments, which provide a scope for discovery and re-interpretation. Play should be challenging and enriching.
We think this is an exciting and encouraging development, which will, aided by recently released funding streams, overhaul many British playgrounds in the very near future. Gone are the days of metal slapped on tarmac approach. Imaginative play, natural materials and more challenge is what is asked for.
In a current project, the Cranston Estate project, we took these objectives to the people from the very outset. To introduce the children to natural materials we went with into the grounds of the adventure playground and collected existing natural materials with which the children made their own explorative model proposals for the new playground. The objectives were to introduce the children to natural materials as well as to architectural processes, enabling them to understand and express their own ideas for the new playground or elements thereof. When we presented our concept design to the community during an event, we lured the residents into the green fringes of the site. Adventure trails led past improvised dens to the site where first design proposals were exhibited and consultation took place. The arrangement asked the community to explore and understand the existing in order to envisage the new. Whilst we consulted with older children and adult residents, a den building workshop engaged the younger ones.