INITAL IDEA - SPUD COLLABORATION

"(1) SPUD is a world leader in developing collaborations involving art,

architecture and education. Our projects have received multiple

awards and global media coverage."

In this brief 'Welcome to Tolworth' I quickly realised that I had an excellent opportunity to be a middle man between 3 businesses with the idea to bring prosperity to a community. I am wanting to work with SPUD (Space Place and Urban Development), a charitable organisation which is based around architecture, but just like 212collective, cares for more than just buildings, but bringing people together through art, design and education.

“(2) RIBA South Regional Award 2016, AJ Readers Choice 2016, Civic

Trust Pro Team Award 2016, Wood Awards Best Small Building

2015, Shortlisted Stephen Lawrence Award 2016”

The Observatory is a small wooden structure created by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and commissioned by SPUD. It was built to deliver a sculptural installation that becomes an intervention, a space, a platform, a shelter, a look-out and to allow artists to take residence inside of it to create. It has had huge success over the years with winning awards, homing many artist and becoming a vocal point for the community of which it is placed in and because it is so easy to move it has impacted many people across the country.

Regarding Tolworth and the brief in which I have to answer, I see the need for Tolworth to have a vocal point, a go to destination. Tolworth has a lot of potential but I feel as though it is a long term process, which is a good thing because that means we can work and build on something that means a lot to everyone involved and will become a foundation in the community. My point is, The Observatory is already complete and it is successful, it is not just a beautifully designed building, it is a point of refuge for some and it is an education hub for the other. The benefits of having The Observatory in Tolworth are massive - From developing local children with educational programmes to enhancing the local Artists' work, the community need this.

Tolworth has places of beauty, The Nature Reserve and The Hogsmill River could be an ideal home for The Observatory. This will battle the problem of the unused green pockets and minimising exposure to pollution while going hand in hand with my other idea of using an application that leads people to the lovely green scenery. The Observatory will draw people in, although it is not permanent it will showcase the beauty that it is sat on and the visitors will remember that and come back again and again and again. The work the Artists produce will live on and could be exhibited in other places such as the tunnels underneath the main roads or on the other hand, in high end galleries that attract visitors to Tolworth, both very beneficial.

CREDIT - MINE

Overall this collaborative project would see huge benefits for the community of Tolworth. Subject to consent from the Tolworth Council moving The Observatory to a place of beauty in the area and using it's facilities to home artists, education programmes as well as creating an eye catching display of contemporary design to the locals, everyone wins. Like I touched on in the previous paragraphs, this can be a short term project that ca be installed very quickly getting the ball rolling far far quicker than installing new sign posts or creating a long term solution like an extensive community run events company or an application, this answers the brief in the short term and the long term where The Observatory will leave the area but Tolworth will be far more aware and educated on the glorious pockets of nature in which they live near.

Visit SPUD here: https://www.spud.org.uk

picture references

https://www.lookinlookout.org

reference

(1) Lookinlookout.org. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.lookinlookout.org> [Accessed 3 April 2020].

(2) Lookinlookout.org. 2020. [online] Available at: <https://www.lookinlookout.org> [Accessed 3 April 2020].