Stillness Theme

The fourth Stepping Stone project focused on the design of 2-in-1 flower pot seating for the exterior of the community kitchen. The design also integrates a canopy for growing herbs to also use in the kitchen. Through a collaboration with another Time Rebel collecting reusable waste, we thought about how this could be integrated into the materiality of this concept. The product analysis of this design is that it has a detachable seat to cater for a variety of arrangements. The flower pot can be raised to create a seating area, and lowered to be become a flower pot on the High Street.

Imagining Collage Future Imagination Opportunity Lingering Plantlife Nature Growing Waste Material Stillness Moving Shelter

The first Stepping Stone project looks into designing multifunctional furniture for Dudley High Street to provide opportunities for a regenerative community, focusing on how the high street can be occupied with resilience. Initially, the stalls act as market stalls to provide opportunities for enterprises and small businesses to begin thriving and encouraging the High Street to become a place of inclusivity. However, the stalls can extend out into outdoor seating arrangements, which can become an extension of the community kitchen and during events can become a part of the whole atmosphere. By extending the furniture, they can connect together and become a large spread where people can sit together and enjoy company. It creates a lowered centre space so children can sit together, or paint on the surfaces. We decided to focus on furniture because we felt the importance of it can go unrecognised. We felt through the design of this market stall, many memories can be created and attached to these items, and become valuable assets within the community.

Collage Drawing Imagining Regenerative Community Resilient Opportunity Invitations Friendliness Fairness Food Stillness Lingering Connection Commerce Low Colour Memory Agency Change Conversation Creativity Culture Future Imagination Interacting Life People Potential Relaxing

A vision for the High Street

Collage Creatures Stillness Lingering People Nature Imagination Plantlife Life Growing Opportunity Future Architecture Waste Regenerative Sustainable

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

Bake 'n' Butty.docx

Download Bake 'n' Butty.docx

Bake ‘n’ Butty Fairy lights all year round Three clocks working triple time More seating at the rear and Above the sound of something frying in a pan Laughter The scrape of cutlery on finished plates Stacked and cleared Two cappuccinos Two toasted teacakes Footsteps on the lino floor The hum of radio from somewhere The clash of a saucepan lid Tea, milk, two sugars The tapping of a spoon on a plastic bowl Fishfinger sandwich to take away Do you need a receipt? It won’t be long, alright? Chips sizzling in the deep fat Steam escaping the coffee machine There’s your knife and fork Musical buttons singing from the till No sugar, I’m sweet enough A message left on the answering machine Phone rings How can I help you? Mobile notification Chatter Printing There’s your change I’ll bring your coffee over Sausage, egg and chips Large breakfast, no beans Two lattes Milk delivery Grated cheese in a bag Butter balanced in the crock of an arm Is there enough money in the till? Bacon and egg sandwich to go Cappuccino Cheers love It was lovely, thank you All this is seen and heard as I am joined at my table To talk through Covid Cars Past lives Old homes Acceptance Cooking Gender Pubs Health and Putting the world back together My tea is done I pop my mug back on the counter All this for the prices of a cuppa I think Stepping out past the flashing fairy lights

Poem Connection Conversation Gift Light Sounds Funny Food Interacting Consumption Happiness Vehicle Past Old Homes Health Stillness

"Dudley High Street in the early 1900s."

Photo Past Aesthetic Architecture Beauty Change Consumption Difference Familiar Identity Life Lingering Memory Missing People Old Shelter Stillness Survival Transport Unfamiliar Words

Men standing on grass - connecting with extra space on High Street - relaxing / watching the traffic

Text Warm Drizzly Connection People Actions Stillness Relaxing Traffic Interacting Lingering

"Dudley's Edwardian Market Place pictured around 1905."

Photo Past Aesthetic Architecture Beauty Change Consumption Difference Familiar Identity Life Lingering Memory Missing People Old Shelter Stillness Survival Transport Unfamiliar Words

Golden Touch.docx

Download Golden Touch.docx

Golden Touch It’s my wedding anniversary Ari is cutting my hair “To make you look younger” He says We guess each other’s age A trick he’s pretty good at We talk about daughters Sons Families How he goes back every year When he can To northern Iran But really his family’s here now Round the houses in Brum From a young age Now his home is Dudley Four years in the shop Cutting Blending Trimming The heat from the hair dryer Beats the sweepings to the floor and I escape for twenty minutes In the stories In the swift hands The mirrors Posters from a bygone age Product on the shelves The smell of wax and leather Scissors sweep over the comb and I learn that the skills are hard taught From the first time with the razor To the years later Efficient Precise Art in my eyes Soon his brother will join him From Manchester Where he’s currently learning To catch up The future is all about the family and I hope the shop is still here For when his son Picks up the scissors For the first time Thanks for the haircut Ari It took years off me

Poem Connection Conversation Gift New Friendliness Memory Interacting Craft Stillness Stories Smell Moving Creativity Future

Caffe Min.docx

Download Caffe Min.docx

Caffe Min Breakfast Lunch Meal deal Everything you would expect Fresh from the takeaway menu Ham baguette With a little bit of mayonnaise Jacket potato Hot cup of coffee Bacon sarnie Brown sauce Not red Tikka mint mayo panini Something you might not expect Sunglasses! I sit on a long bench Listening to Tainted Love Over the radio Reading one of the many signs About coffee and good vibes Jayne and Mustafa Serve the steady flow of regulars Some sit outside most of the day Watching Chatting Taking it all in There’s always a spot for them As others come and go Mustafa hopes that more regulars Will return From offices When they can The future seems uncertain Until normality returns Since West Brom 27 years ago Jayne and Mustafa Have been working together She says she “has a thick skin to have put up with him for so long” He says “she’s the second woman in his life” Cheerful banter From a lifetime of serving Cooking Cleaning Managing This is their third café in Dudley 23 years and still going Opposite the Full Moon Tables and chairs on the pavement Watching the comings and goings I end up chatting to Kath Over a cup of tea As she gets a sausage baguette For the lady she volunteers with Kath comes every Friday For breakfast with her friends and I see how this all takes shape Regular Reliable Dependable I say goodbye Head back up the town As Magic FM fades in the distance I think I’ll probably pop in again For a cup of tea

Poem Connection Conversation Gift Food Consumption Familiar Colour Unfamiliar Surprise Sounds Words Happiness Interacting Lingering Future Memory Stories Stillness

By using the courtyard space as allotments, it will create a social hub for the local people and connect it to local businesses and stores.

Drawing Imagining Water Abundance Actions Care Change Community Connection Future Growing Imagination Interacting Invitations Life Lingering Nature Opportunity People Plantlife Potential Regenerative Relaxing Stillness Sustainable

Woman waiting

Text Sunny Slight breeze Speeds Lingering Actions Stillness People