As the aim of the project was to discover resources and make them available for others, I wanted to find an interesting place with a cultural background, which would be useful for future designers and artists. The searching process was not an easy exercise: the museum I had decided to study had closed, so I focused on a particular cinema and art place called the Picture House. Unfortunately, as this place was being re-funded in mid-November, it was not available, so I had to change again and I finally chose the Clapham North Art Centre. I wanted the students to discover these studios because they gather various artists who have settled to work and to open design agencies. As future designers, the students could be interested in knowing that working spaces like Clapham North Art Centre exist, and that within these collective flats there are services which help artists to develop their work. Although these studios are private though, and there are not open as exhibition rooms anymore.
As a result, if I did the project again I would choose a space open to the public so that the students who play the game could discover and appreciate the place as a space. I would design a game which makes them analyse and enjoy the atmosphere of a space like a gallery for instance. Indeed, an interesting resource is not only the address of a museum or a building, but also a space with an attractive architecture or atmosphere one would like to visit again.
Designing the game as a group made individuals analyse the site from a particular place to an entire area, paying attention to the infrastructures, which could link the different resources. In addition, it was an occasion to exchange ideas, and because everyone had designed their own clues, so we could compare and criticize each other’s work. There was a real team involvement when everyone could give his opinion during the meetings. Even though some people were not always active, it was interesting to help each other finding ideas through the characteristics of a place. For instance, clues could be dug in the green space or hidden in the library. There was much work dedicated in linking the places and finding common elements in order to design a logical and fluent journey.
When searching a place in depth, I discovered many types of resources that I had ignored. For instance, The Picture House was the first cinema to offer special screenings for parents with their babies, and it presents and encourages artistic short movies 1. The Clapham North Art Centre concentrates potters, carpenters, sculptors, but also a dance space and a music studio 2. Such a heterogeneous space made me also discover contemporary artistic works which are more discreet but not less rich and innovative. As a result it makes other students be aware of further exhibition spaces, which could be sources of ideas and new designs.
References and Bibliography
1. Picture House, Big Scream Parents and Babies club, Picturehouse Cinemas, 2005-2006, http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema_home_date.aspx?venueId=cph&feature=Big+Scream, 20/11/07
Tim Martin, Clapham North Art Centre, Skelbimai.co.uk, 2007, http://www.skelbimai.co.uk/property/detail.php?siteid=467&catid=29, 20/11/07
2. Myvillage, Museum and Galleries in Clapham, Myvillage.com Clapham, 2007, http://www.myclapham.co.uk/clapham/arts-list_museums.htm, 20/11/07
· Clapham art Gallery, 2006, http://www.claphamartgallery.com/editions.htm, 20/11/07
· Steve Homer, Clapham and its high street, Clapham Street.co.uk, 2006, http://claphamhighstreet.co.uk/chshistory.htm, 20/11/07
· Shops on Voltaire Road, Londononline, 2007, http://www.londononline.co.uk/area/voltaire_road_SW4, 20/11/07
· JK studio, Creative space agency, 2006, http://www.creativespaceagency.co.uk/spaces/by_keyword/?keyword=clapham, 20/11/07
· Geographers' A-Z Map Company, A-Z London, 2006, Handy Road Atlas
