I joined Turner Works to learn more about building grass roots community projects. For years I have been involved in setting up several community radio stations in London and this experience has taught me about how much can be achieved when different groups of people come together to deliver a shared vision. These radio stations are voluntarily run and located in temporary spaces with short leases so we need to follow affordable rents as these type of community activities get pushed out to the periphery of our city.
One of the first projects I worked on in the office was Mountview Academy. Visiting their original home, hidden by undergrowth and spilling out into neighbouring buildings, it was clear they did not have the right facilities for a world class performing arts school. At the completion of their new school, it was great to finally see the students having enough room to breathe, and using rooms built specifically for their needs.
The new building not only provided a great amount of space where performance artists are not constrained by the boundaries of a small building, it also allowed Mountview to become more connected with its surrounding community. It’s shopfront windows, showcasing the school onto the square and surrounding streets really made the school feel like a space at the heart of Peckham.
