London Festival of Architecture (LFA) and Aldgate Connect Business Improvement District (BID) have partnered with London Metropolitan University students on a programme to accompany a new installation ‘On Tenterground’ at Toynbee Hall on Commercial Street that will be in place from 7 – 31 July.
LFA celebrates architecture and city-making, and this year over 500 events have been delivered across London. The Festival aims to open up discussions around architecture, test new ideas and uncover and promote new talent in the built environment industry.
LFA is proud to have engaged students in LFA2023 projects – from a London Design and Engineering UTC student team who created a bench for Pews and Perches, to University of Westminster architecture students who organised a series of talks, exhibitions, and installations.
Aldgate Connect BID’s key aim of harnessing meaningful collaborations is also evidenced through the ‘On Tenterground’ installation. The collaboration with London Metropolitan University gives young people a chance to organise a highly impactful community engagement programme, encouraging a sense of heritage and local pride, whilst also giving a great insight in the cultural fabric of the local neighbourhood that surrounds the installation.
This project tests out new scenarios for providing space for cultural and social exchange in Aldgate’s public realm. London Metropolitan University MA Public Art and Performative Practices students had an input in the design brief, calling for a programmable space which they could activate with art and performance across the Summer 2023.
The programme includes workshops, performances, storytelling sessions, pop-ups as well as an exhibition celebrating the history of the textile and garment industry with artwork co-produced with the community.
The full programme includes:
July 7 to July 22
Elements: Photography projections by Ciara Davies (exhibition)
Elements is about connecting nature with urban cities like London. It is also intended to raise awareness of today’s climate issues using conceptual photography.
Everyday 8 PM – 12 AM
July 14/15
Archi Drama: Aldgate anecdotes – a storytelling workshop by Kasra Aghlimoghaddam (workshop)
Archidrama invites Aldgaters to share memories of the neighbourhood and listen to the poetry of architecture.
Morning sessions: 11 AM – 1 PM
Afternoon sessions: 2 PM – 4 PM
Another Way… – a journaling workshop by Magda Olchawska (workshop)
A blend of journaling and super green growing workshops, perfect for anyone looking for an innovative way to tell stories in their urban environments.
Morning sessions: 11 AM – 1 PM
Afternoon sessions: 2 PM – 4 PM
Cabbage (rag trade off cuts) – an art workshop by Paul Duffy (workshop)
Create ‘banners’ from textiles which celebrate the historic and contemporary importance the textile industry in the communities of Aldgate, Spitalfields and Whitechapel.
Morning sessions: 11 AM – 1 PM
Afternoon sessions: 2 PM – 4 PM
Situating memories – an art workshop by Shanmukha Priya Mohan (workshop)
This art workshop draws inspiration from family albums, the workshop encourages participants to create zines or posters that illustrate their life experiences and move towards imagining new possibilities for the communities and neighbourhoods in which they live.
Morning sessions: 11 AM – 1 PM
Afternoon sessions: 2 PM – 4 PM
July 15 and July 22
Dye with Movements – a performance workshop by Asela Rangadewa and Dhanushka Seneviratne
Studies concerning Petticoat Lane Market and its history involve the conversion of diverse historical narratives and their associated symbols into choreographed movements.
July 15: 11.00 am -1 PM | 3 PM – 5 PM
July 22: 1.00 pm – 3 | 5.00 pm – 7 PM
