Do you think Hackney Marshes are only about football, empty or underutilised?A three-year UCL research project by the Development Planning Unit reveals that community groups and local residents using the the Marshes and surrounding green areas on a regular basis experience them in different ways.
On Saturday 12th March Homerton Library plays host to a free event: ‘Hackney Marshes: more than meets the eye’. The day will run from 10am to 5pm with a facilitated discussion and networking session from 1 to 2pm accompanied by food and drinks. The event provides a great opportunity to meet other local people, share knowledge and ideas through interaction with a large-scale map of the area, as well as discuss the future of green spaces in Hackney. The discussion promises to be especially lively given the recent masterplans devised for the area, and of course the changes brought about by the Olympic developments.
The findings of the research have shown that the use of the Marshes goes far beyond football, and that a diverse range of activities exist. These vary from the ways children and artists respectively view these spaces as canvases for liberated unstructured play and public artworks, to those using spaces to grow food and cultivate land, while others simply prefer to appreciate the natural tranquility of the Marshes, spending time to explore the area or simply passing through it.
However these activities and the groups and individuals behind them frequently remain hidden from view – often there is limited knowledge of other groups, with many operating independently of one another. The research identified networking as a vital way of increasing the visibility of groups and increasing collaboration and knowledge-sharing between them.
A further discovery was that the masterplans for the area were not always in line with the needs and aspirations of the users we spoke to. It has been observed that stronger networks can provide a means for residents and community groups to engage more proactively with the Council regarding planning issues and decision-making.
The findings of the research were presented to community representatives in January 2011 and subsequently a number of short films capturing different local perspectives were produced, which will be on display for the duration of the exhibition and also feature on the Justice in the Green website. These feed into the creation of a web-based interactive map of the area including community testimonies and other forms of evidence collected on the ground.
During the event participants will be introduced to this innovative new way of online social networking: residents will be able to upload their details, videos and opinions complete with a clear spatial reference. As more and more people populate the map over time it can serve as a valuable online directory of the whereabouts of different groups and individuals present in and around the Hackney Marshes, and display the breadth of activities taking place. This can strengthen the agency of local people and groups and enrich the experience for all involved.
We hope you can join us at Homerton Library to share and contribute towards this exciting research. For further information please contact Alex Frediani at a.frediani@ucl.ac.ukOn Saturday 12th March Homerton Library plays host to a free event: ‘Hackney Marshes: more than meets the eye’. The day will run from 10am to 5pm with a facilitated discussion and networking session from 1 to 2pm accompanied by food and drinks. The event provides a great opportunity to meet other local people, share knowledge and ideas through interaction with a large-scale map of the area, as well as discuss the future of green spaces in Hackney. The discussion promises to be especially lively given the recent masterplans devised for the area, and of course the changes brought about by the Olympic developments.
The findings of the research have shown that the use of the Marshes goes far beyond football, and that a diverse range of activities exist. These vary from the ways children and artists respectively view these spaces as canvases for liberated unstructured play and public artworks, to those using spaces to grow food and cultivate land, while others simply prefer to appreciate the natural tranquility of the Marshes, spending time to explore the area or simply passing through it.
However these activities and the groups and individuals behind them frequently remain hidden from view – often there is limited knowledge of other groups, with many operating independently of one another. The research identified networking as a vital way of increasing the visibility of groups and increasing collaboration and knowledge-sharing between them.
A further discovery was that the masterplans for the area were not always in line with the needs and aspirations of the users we spoke to. It has been observed that stronger networks can provide a means for residents and community groups to engage more proactively with the Council regarding planning issues and decision-making.
The findings of the research were presented to community representatives in January 2011 and subsequently a number of short films capturing different local perspectives were produced, which will be on display for the duration of the exhibition and also feature on the Justice in the Green website. These feed into the creation of a web-based interactive map of the area including community testimonies and other forms of evidence collected on the ground.
During the event participants will be introduced to this innovative new way of online social networking: residents will be able to upload their details, videos and opinions complete with a clear spatial reference. As more and more people populate the map over time it can serve as a valuable online directory of the whereabouts of different groups and individuals present in and around the Hackney Marshes, and display the breadth of activities taking place. This can strengthen the agency of local people and groups and enrich the experience for all involved.
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Photo 'Hackney Marshes' by Marcia Bindo
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