Newham Roadshow

'How can local people be creatively involved in changing their environment?'

The Roadshow's objective was to look at open spaces and spaces between the buildings to constructively reflect on the possibilities of urban improvement. Six architecture practices: Birds Portchmouth Russum, Shillam & Smith, MacCreanor Lavington, Fluid, FAT and Ushida Findlay were picked to work on sites in Newham using participatory processes.Visitors were asked to write their opinions on topics, such as employment, education, housing, and crime. Later, adjusted  on the map, notes made by local residents were used by Fluid architects to generate drawings. Interviews, workshops (photographic, video, drama and visual arts) with local inhabitants, resulted in a visual installation, a video and a drama performance ('Theatre Venture' involved 51 young people). They were then presented and discussed during subsequent five, weekend design festivals.  The Roadshow looked at five dysfunctional urban sites, including one of the Government’s New Deal for Communities areas.