Participation
Winning Places North East
Exploring Sport and Place with the over 55’s
Summer 2009
Winning Places is a brand new partnership project between Northern Architecture and The Building Exploratory in Hackney, inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It is supported by CABE’s nationwide programme O.Space, which showcases the regeneration and architecture of the London 2012 Olympic site and how it is relevant to neighbourhoods across the UK.
Winning Places engaged with two over 55’s groups, one based in Hackney and one in Tyne and Wear, to explore sporting architecture and how its design and role in regeneration shapes the identity of where we live.
In January 2009, the project kicked off in Hackney, where The Building Exploratory worked with their Senior BEE's group. The Senior BEE’s met on fortnightly basis to learn more about architecture, design, heritage and regeneration and gain a whole new perspective on the redevelopment of their area and London 2012. This included trips to municipal swimming pools (including the historic Haggerston Baths, London Fields Lido and Clissford Park leisure centre), the Emirates Stadium and the Olympic Village site in East London. Optimistic Films documented the Senior BEE’s journeys to produce six short films of their journeys and conversations with built environment, heritage and sports professionals.
‘People in the north and south seem to have the same vision of what they want from their community (regeneration projects) and people matter.’ ‘You can have a good partnership between professionals and local communities which have so much to give. It is just having the time and patience to get people to listen and to make a difference in your area.’
‘Lots of things go on that you do not know about until you find out about them from people like you.’ '(I learnt that) similar views were shared between the Senior BEE’s and our group and how are areas have changed and been changed by architects for the better.’ ‘(The most important message is) the places we have visited and seemed to be ‘inaccessible’ to most people – they are not! There are ‘hidden treasures’ that are places of interest on our doorstep. The Winning Places North East films can be viewed on YouTube, by clicking on this link.
In March 2009, Northern Architecture took the blueprint of this project and delivered Winning Places North East in collaboration with the Fit at Heart group in Hebburn and local residents in North Tyneside. Through a series of interactive workshops with architects, local authority officers and sports managers, we visited some of the North East’s most iconic sports venues including St James Park, Gateshead International Stadium and Sunderland Aquatic Centre. The project also involved museum and heritage professionals through visits to Tyne & Wear Archives and a visit to the V&A exhibition, ‘A Century of Olympic Posters’ at the Shipley Art Gallery. Working with Film Bee, Northern Architecture produced six short films charting the journey of Winning Places North East.
In Summer 2009, the two Winning Places groups met at The Building Exploratory in London to screen their films to each other and talk about their experiences. This also included a walk to The Greenway to view the construction of the Olympic stadium, the wider site in development and the new education centre, View Tube. The Winning Places North East group gave some of their thoughts in response to the day:
If you are interested in regeneration and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and its role in the North East, please visit the London 2012 website.
Thank you to our regional friends and partners:
FaulknerBrowns, St James’ Park, Tyne and Wear Archives, Gateshead International Stadium, Sunderland Aquatic Centre, Red Box Design, Gateshead Council and the Shipley Art Gallery
For further information about Winning Places North East, please contact Lowri Bond, Projects Officer on 0191 260 2191 or email: lowri@northernarchitecture.com
