Contested Boundaries and the Appropriation of Space

The Contested Boundaries project aims to challenge collective, commercial, public and private spaces in global London in order to create moments of negotiation and appropriation. The project aims to facilitate the appropriation of the spaces for collective good, by exploring “ambiguities of proprietorship, of aesthetics, of social relations and the political economy of everyday life collide” (David Harvey).

Global economies facilitated by political powers inform the spaces of London's Docklands. Over centuries, colonial ambitions and neoliberal development practices have created distinct urban conditions in the Docklands. Docks, towers and luxury residences juxtapose with adjacent social housing and local park spaces. But local relations are often overshadowed by territorial priorities to resources and finance.

This project puts collective spaces at the forefront of design activism in an attempt to reappropriate and readdress the impact in the docklands of global, financial systems. Vacant development sites are the focus of the project while a repertoire of design interventions are employed to create shared spaces and bold landmarks.

A concept board below shows the main inspirational ideas both graphically, artistically and architecturally:

[ Appropriation, found object, radical art are among some of the concepts visibly present in the project. Visitors can find traces of artists such as Magritte, Dali and Duchamp in the design of elements populating the sites. But also inspiration from Heath Robinson and Hacienda in the graphic style and Perry Kulper among others ]

But also the theories and useful texts which made the foundations of the project's concept:

[ The articles above are extracts from a range of papers and essays which focus on the analysis of public space with reference to concepts of Capitalism, Appropriation, Publicness, Indeterminate and Collective Spaces. Texts by David Harvey analysing Marx and Capitalism are the foundation of the project’s theory. These are some of the core concepts which the project tries to explore through temporal, spatial and design processes and political agendas ]

A narrative based on the unholy political relationships of power and financial capital. Vulture capitalism appropriates and and devaluates assets for the profit good. Global processes and movements maneuvering from afar, a crafty choreography of puppets and puppeteers performing from the distance.

The Isle of Dogs revealed to be a discovery of spaces dedicated to continuous development. Planning and construction sites are located in this drawing.

While several development sites take visible construction shapes pretending to improve the conditions of the isle and protruding into the skies, the hidden strings of global relations are only revealed after digging documents of planning.

A surprising network of financial movements and digital steps mark the developments present and the future ones planned.

MAKING DESIGN CODES

The following parameters strategy is not just an inventory of rules, though nor is a comprehensive design. It is aimed at conveying a more than vague idea of what the Isle of Dogs might look like becoming an example of how these rules can operate.

Inspired by Michael Sorkin’s ‘Local Code’ a Bill of Rights for inhabitants and explorers of the Isle of Dogs was established, along with a series of Common Codes for developments to follow, with the intention to help through planning, construction and after completion.

The strategy for the Isle of Dogs is of identifying the sites of intervention and then act.

Devices are created to create interruption, disrupting the current state.

Gatehouses and monumentalities function as alarmers, while interrupters actually stop traffic, section of roads. Boundaries take care of reconfiguring space and making it collective. Communities can finally battle the political injustice and appropriate of space.

From closeness to negotiation to openness. The boundary is a condition that belongs to neither one side or the other. It is a moment of negotiation.

The catalysts begins from the reconfiguration of existing site boundary. The FAKE FACADE becomes a new boundary with a volume, changing the site edge to provide an active response by the residents and visitors.

Processes of pumping contaminants off the soil will be undertaken by particular species of plants selected for the site. Corridors of grass planting and tree planting will be installed and rendered usable at various stages to allow gradual use of the site for activation.

The boundary stops being a divider, it gains volume which provides activation.

Protecting the entrance of the site, the gatehouse functions as a gateway to the new collective space. From its original programme of controlling the in/out movements, to becoming a green house, onE of a series of follies to populate the Isle of Dogs development sites.

Helium filled balloons raise to the sky to alarm their presence while their statements aim at contributing by provoking the political system of the planning and development of public space.

A cut & fill process to create the Discussion Terraces, a stepped seating space where to gather and debate plans and events for the collective space. The intervention will not impact mature existing trees.

plan view 1:250@A2

The following operational plan describes the various strategic moves and operations using all the designed devices to create disruption and allow for the appropriation of space.