Open competitive proposal for a new public space: two simple linked shelters with moveable screens/furniture units to permit multiple configurations for a wide range of community uses, located on a corner of former industrial land.

Initiated by the Harringay Warehouse District, an area of former manufacturing buildings now with an established community of living and workspaces occupied by artists, musicians, fashion designers, makers and entrepreneurs, the competition brief called for ideas for a self build proposal for on-site and local community activities. The requirement was for a design that would be developed collaboratively and constructed by the community to build on the ethos of anti gentrification which is the distinctive identity of this part of London.

Our proposal combined low tech construction with simple components and readily available reclaimed materials to create a design chassis to be developed utilising the on-site skills and ideas of the creative community. In other words a canvas which could be developed with a unique local character.

The positioning of the two open sided shelters suggested a central entrance with two activity areas with adjacent outside spaces. The proposal also included mobile units of three heights (seating, table height and screen) that could be moved around to set up different spaces for activities. These units would be fabricated to standard module sizes but in varying materials to relect the skills and interests of the people making them - each would represent an individual contribution to the pavilion. Matching units externally would be used as planters to configure the external areas.

Located beside a main road on the edge of the Warehouse District, the scheme uses strong shapes and bright colours in the form of draped ripstop nylon tent roofs, a painted ply frieze and colourful, textured reclaimed materials in the mobile units to signal its presence on the street.