DS16

DESIGN STUDIO 16, 2009-10

Murray Fraser, Anthony Boulanger

Contested Space

Our theme this year was ‘contested space’ in cities, using London as the location. It is self-evident that many competing agendas are played out spatially within any city and London is no exception – especially in its role as a major, multicultural global metropolis.

But what prompts spatial contestation, and how is it mediated or resolved? There are many triggers for contestation, including politic, economics, religion, class, sexuality, leisure preference – all of which cause various groups of people to claim that bits f London should be organised and/or occupied differently. Or maybe it’s a question of sustainability/ecology, with the conflict between human occupation and the needs of animals, plants, etc.?

Spatial contestation is not necessarily a bad thing; indeed, perhaps it is an essential component of vibrant urban life.

Some forms of challenge are more discreet, slow, and evolve out of steady frictions and overlapping interests. This metamorphosis often defines the richness of cultural influences in creating new identities/trends. Concepts of power and subversion, (overt + cover) negotiations, boundaries and thresholds were amongst the themes investigated.

Our field trip was to Tel Aviv/Jerusalem, visiting some of the most contested urban spaces imaginable.

Dip Yr 1 Students

Lucie OLIVIER
Benjamin KIRK
Ross KELLY
Stefania  GYFTOPOULOU
Elizabeth WALTON
Viktor  HAGSTROM
Sara BOROWIECKA
Elizabeth COOK
Andrew Christopher  DIGGLE
Laurence   PINN
Charlotte  GALLIE
Natalie   BENES
Sabba KHAN
Sarah CUSTANCE
Alicia TZACZ

Dip Yr 2 Students
Yee  BILLING
Elizabeth BLUNDELL
Alex CHAN
Alex  COOK
Jack GREGORY
Jessica  ROSTRON
Grant SHEPHERD