Curiosity Theme

Stepping Stone 4 adds layers to the High Street. Like the other visions, we wanted to use CoLab Dudley’s principles ‘use nature as a guidebook’ and ‘create conditions for curiosity and experimentation’. The main way we proposed to do this was adding a green canopy to provide shelter, create a hybrid indoor outdoor space welcoming to families and a more communal open space, and support ecosystems.

Drawing Map Food Nature Growing Plantlife Unused Ownership Access Agency Stillness Shelter Lingering Invitations Imagination Interacting Actions Change Health Colour Curiosity Consumption Commerce Community Care Economics Fairness Future Layer Life People Potential Opportunity Emotion

This post promotes the opening of a community kitchen, supported by the Participatory City model. (We decided to present our narrative through social media and instagram posts as we wanted to showcase what individual experiences might be like when experiencing the future High Street. Each of our posts captures a different element of experience on the High Street to form a collective scenario.)

Imagining Collage Actions Change Colour Community Creativity Culture Curiosity Difference Food Friendliness Future Imagination Interacting Invitations Life Making Opportunity People Potential Stories Taste Learning Emotion

Here's some stuff in a locked yard (that just happened to be open) down Wolverhampton Street. There are what look like two chapels in there.

Photo Access Architecture Boundaries Broken Care Chance Craft Curiosity Decay Exposed Hiding Material Old Overlooked Opportunity Ownership Past Shelter Unfamiliar Weathered

Why put a multi-storey car park with access from the narrowest street in the town?

Text Cloudy Identity Traffic Transport Vehicle Curiosity

Great sculpture

Drawing Text Cloudy Rainy Old Curiosity Unfamiliar Surprise

A nice smell I cannot pin down

Text Cloudy Smell Curiosity Unfamiliar Stories

LAYERS TO THE HIGH STREET - To introduce covered, sheltered areas on the high street. Making the high street welcoming for the entire family and adding topographical value to the high street that is visually interesting. Adding another layer to the high street that will encourage exploring spaces for children as well as adults.

Collage Imagining Access Aesthetic Beauty Big Things Change Curiosity Future High Imagination Invitations Layer Opportunity People Potential Shelter

876 Lounge - Music blasting reggae, smiley man gave me thumbs up: 'you alright?'

Text Sunny Slight breeze Happiness Community Connection Conversation Emotion Expression Friendliness Interacting Sounds Life Care Kindness People Curiosity

What smells I didn't I get - rubbish, old fashioned food shops, dog shit / damp dogs, pub smells

Text Cloudy Old Smell Waste Connection Stories Curiosity

The second Stepping Stone project focused on the representation of colour and revitalising frontages. During our group discussions, we recognised the negligence of existing colour on Dudley High Street. Colour is a key element we believe can bring a sense of brightness into the High Street, and an element that should be of focus when revitalising the frontages. In this example, we have approached the frontage for the community kitchen we envision. The visual showcases a Community Kitchen in which different herbs and spices can be grown. These can then be used to cook the many dishes respective to the different cultures existing on the High Street. Each frontage can respond to the different uses of the buildings to promote individuality across the street.

Imagining Collage Change Colour Community Creativity Culture Curiosity Food Future Imagination Invitations Opportunity Potential Architecture Aesthetic

The third Stepping Stone project attempted to design the community kitchen in one of the empty shops on Dudley High Street. We all know that food is an essential factor in our life and eating and cooking the food is not an abstract activity we do, it is part of our everyday routine. In our initial research, we found that many people live alone in compact housing on the High Street. We thought the kitchen connect the residents with society. We decided to make the process of preparing food more enjoyable. As our aim was to grow food on the street wherever possible, we can use these vegetables for the community kitchen. This will encourage residents to come down onto the street and engage with it. This could also be a new experience for the visitors of the High Street.

Imagining Collage Actions Change Colour Community Culture Curiosity Food Future Imagination Interacting Invitations Life Opportunity People Potential Taste Growing Nature Plantlife Abundance Homes Connection

A green wall facade across the passageway could create a bold landmark to attract people to the courtyard space.

Drawing Imagining Food Community Aesthetic Views Agency Actions Care Change Colour Creativity Creatures Curiosity Difference Future Growing High Imagination Interacting Invitations Life Nature Opportunity People Plantlife Potential

Rubbish bags, drink bottles + cans, wooden cable spindle, but tidy'd up in a bucket 'Half-littering'?

Text Drawing Overcast Waste Material Care Curiosity

I was asked about what I was doing [asked them what they think is beautiful] Old lamp posts giving the town some character

Text Rainy Beauty Connection Care Community Conversation Friendliness Interacting Old Favourite Things Identity Aesthetic Past People Curiosity

The interior of the community kitchen would be inviting and colourful to create a positive atmosphere. The colours were abstracted from one of our group collages of food. The kitchen counters are not considered as a back of house element; they have been combined with seating as we are trying to embrace the cooking process. The kitchen desk is designed in a way so multiple people can work together from all sides, with central storage for herbs. The facade of the kitchen contains a small window so food can be sold outside. We have also created a vertical herb garden so it can be used in the community kitchen. We wanted to keep these below eye-line so people outdoors have a clear view into what’s going on inside. This street section shows activity from the back of the community kitchen to the other end of the street and how all these elements are working coherently. The street is filled more with people rather than cars. We believe that the outdoor seating, more trees, canopies and street lights can attract people to connect with the High Street.

Imagining Collage Drawing Actions Change Colour Community Culture Curiosity Food Future Imagination Interacting Invitations People Potential Taste Nature Plantlife Connection Opportunity Low Commerce Consumption Growing Views Vehicle Traffic Shelter Aesthetic

Interesting design above shops - what is it?

Text Drawing Warm Drizzly Connection Curiosity Aesthetic Architecture

Smell of carpets. Astroturf on sale - does it smell?

Text Cloudy Smell Stories Connection Curiosity

In this post, we captured the street’s atmosphere filled with colour, activity, and pedestrianised streets. (We decided to present our narrative through social media and instagram posts as we wanted to showcase what individual experiences might be like when experiencing the future High Street. Each of our posts captures a different element of experience on the High Street to form a collective scenario.)

Imagining Collage Drawing Actions Change Colour Community Creativity Culture Curiosity Difference Food Friendliness Future Sounds Imagination Interacting Invitations Life Making Memory Moving Opportunity People Potential Stories Taste Views Emotion

View story

Bianca and her friends went clothes shopping. As they could smell the delicious food making in the community kitchen, they curiously went inside for the first time. Bianca and her friends were offered freshly made, delicious soup.

Creative writing Imagining Commerce Interacting Imagination Future Lingering Friendliness Consumption Smell Food Community Making Curiosity People

Not many smiles? People avoiding eye contact but curious as to what I'm doing...

Text Warm Drizzly Connection People Curiosity Friendliness Interacting Missing

My purpose of my Gift to Dudley High Street is to encourage the users to become involved in the changes that occur in a place they use. The aim is to gain feedback from the users of the game to inform any progress made, this way, the focus of regeneration can come from the users themselves, becoming a collective collaboration. Through the users interacting with each other on the High Street using this game, the presence of users can be recognised, reminding the people of a sense of community to promote and celebrate going forward.

Model Other visual delight Abundance Actions Community Connection Creativity Curiosity Future Gift Invitations Kindness Making Potential People Play

[Drawing - trident]

Drawing Cloudy Rainy Stories Big Things Curiosity Unfamiliar Surprise

This post captures the street qualities where the visitors experience the colour and aromas of the food. (We decided to present our narrative through social media and instagram posts as we wanted to showcase what individual experiences might be like when experiencing the future High Street. Each of our posts captures a different element of experience on the High Street to form a collective scenario.)

Imagining Collage Change Colour Community Culture Curiosity Difference Food Friendliness Future Imagination Interacting Invitations Life Opportunity People Potential Stories Taste Emotion Lingering Abundance Smell Joy Happiness

By placing a community garden in this space space you can learn how to plant food and it will lead to more edible spaces on the High Street that will then lead to the re-wilding of Dudley.

Collage Drawing Imagining Abundance Access Architecture Care Change Community Creativity Creatures Culture Curiosity Food Future Growing Imagination Invitations Learning Life Lingering Nature Opportunity People Plantlife Potential Regenerative Relaxing

Social issues present ... between the two ends of the High Street, one recently improved in terms of materials, recreational areas and spaces for sitting, the other remains in disrepair and is heavily trafficked with completely transitional movement, lack of stopping and communication.

Collage Imagination Future People Curiosity Care Actions Emotion Decay

What's £5? The Pavement?

Drawing Text Overcast Waste Material Care Connection Colour Stories Numbers Funny Curiosity

This post develops what the community kitchen has to offer with street grown resources and community engagement. (We decided to present our narrative through social media and instagram posts as we wanted to showcase what individual experiences might be like when experiencing the future High Street. Each of our posts captures a different element of experience on the High Street to form a collective scenario.)

Imagining Collage Actions Change Colour Community Creativity Culture Curiosity Difference Food Friendliness Future Imagination Interacting Invitations Life Opportunity People Potential Stories Taste Learning Emotion Growing Vehicle Traffic Nature Plantlife Unused Lingering Relaxing Abundance Joy Happiness

Paper, card, soft plastics - I think people missed the bin!

Text Overcast Waste Material Care Actions Stories Curiosity

By utilising the passageway to display exhibition work from local institutions it would not only encourage them to create their crafts, it will celebrate their work and the range of crafts that Dudley has.

Drawing Imagining Food Craft Creativity Actions Agency Change Community Culture Curiosity Expression Future Growing Imagination Invitations Lingering Making Nature Opportunity People Plantlife Potential Shelter

I was asked if I was OK!

Text Rainy Beauty Connection Care Community Conversation Friendliness Interacting Safety People Curiosity

Motif / sign above G.P. Footwear not seen before

Text Pouring Rainy Tiny Things High Surprise Unfamiliar Curiosity Architecture Hiding