Urban Pioneers // Barking

Having the opportunity to take part in the Urban Pioneers scheme was a really valuable experience. I developed a huge range of skills; photography, creative writing, film making etc,  and explored areas I was previously unaware of, for example oral history. The course has enabled me to look at architecture on a far wider scale; it is not just about designing and building but about how buildings interact and affect the local community. It does not merely concern a single building but how this building impacts the space around it. It particularly interested me how space can be used or misused. Consequently, I am now applying for work experience at a town planning office, which I had previously not even considered.

I met some really interesting people, from the workshop leaders to the pioneers themselves, some who shared my opinion on certain matters and some who made me consider others. Overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience which I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in architecture, design or planning.

Being one on the Urban Pioneers has been a great opportunity for me. I have gain a lot of experience in the 10 days program. I have learned a lot more than I expected with the 10 days. There has been a lot more to explore within just architecture. This program has changed my thoughts about barking in some way. As now I don’t look at barking as just a gang and crime place that a lot of people say it is. But now that I have explored the history of barking, it’s after all an interesting place where a lot has happened and changes that has took place. This program has helped me to improve my skill as in every work as I have learned something new each day. As for the Final Event we had to talk throughout the experience and the workshops we have been exploring within the 10days to an audience.  Although we were all nervous for the final event as we had to think back to day 1, I believe everything went well. We spoke with confident and how much this has been an amazing experience for all of us. It has been great working With Tom who was the Coordinator and meeting all the 5 pioneers. Its a Shame its Over

Barking Urban Pioneers has been a great experience for me, there were so many things that I thoroughly enjoyed and none that I didn’t like. All of it was well planned and structured and our workshop leaders worked very hard to make every day as fun as possible.

Before Barking Urban Pioneers I thought of Barking as a dirty place with lots of crime and gangs and always felt uncomfortable going there, but now after looking at Barking in detail, I think that it’s quite a nice place and I don’t mind going there at all.

That’s why I think projects like this are well worth doing. They change the way you look at things, make you see them from a different perspective  and help you expand your knowledge and improve various skills, such as communication and team work. We met interesting people and made friends with people we wouldn’t normally talk to.

I have enjoyed this experience a lot and would definitely recommend anybody to take part too.



“Hurry up or I will drink until I explode”

Grandpa stood for change at the death fountain drinking gallons of contaminated water.

63 years old John Rush stood up for a quick change in barking at the fountain near the new buildings contraction. This has never been witnessed before an elderly man threatened the builders to hurry up and finish or he will drink the contaminated water at the fountain. A dedicated man who probably wants to see changes before he dies is making sure that the cuts the government did will not affect the new building.

They have been reports from the locals saying that he started drinking the water from the first day of the foundation till know he cant take anymore because they have slowed down due to the cuts. Because of this mans sheer determination its pushing the locals to start rioting through Barking asking for change but they wont join John Rush on the water drinking

In Barking 30 years ago the old town hall building that was build approximately around the 1950’s. There was an unexpected event that took place on the top of the Town Hall building. Mr Harrison Johns, who lived in barking for 60 years of his life, was the man that stood up for the changes in barking 20 years ago. He protested and created arguments in the town square of what he believed of the changes of barking should be in the future. He was a man with full of confident and bravely as he decided to fight for he beliefs of the ‘Town Hall’ building to turn into a shopping mall as it would require more employees. ‘It’s either the building goes or we use it for a better purpose’’ says Harrison. After 20 Years the event had accrued again. Peter Johns who is Mr Harrison grandson decided to carry on his grandparent’s mission to fight for the changes of barking. He climbed up to the top of the Town hall building with his own will. He insisted and warned to starve himself to death or Jump off the building till the decision is made to whether replaced the tower hall building with a shopping centre or it gets knocked down with his dead body. ‘’ It’s either this building gets knock down or I’ll die trying’’ says Peter Johns. There almost seems to be a war happening in the town square as some are people is in disagreement and in agreement with the town hall changes. So far with the news of Mr Peter John the changes are still uncertainties.

William, conqueror of Hastings, fell yesterday on the steps of the town hall.  Edward, the Butcher stall owner, ended the fray with his axe which will be set in stone as a monument to the hero.
 
The fight began when William besieged the town in his plan to take London and, eventually, the throne of England.  Townsfolk and market traders met the invaders in Barking Woods, outside the lemonade factory and rope works, but were later pushed back to the steps of the town hall as the fighting became more intense.
 
The town hall was all but demolished in the battle, but Edward, 60, bravely removed William from his horse while he assaulted the building and killed him.  Invaders fled when their leader fell, all the way back to France.  Who knows what this may mean for the future of the English crown?
 
Stonemasons today are producing granite crosses to lay in the square as a memorial to the fallen although the exact death toll is unknown.

A 7 year old girl came across a live bomb whilst in Barking Town square last week. Mary Stones was playing in the arboretum as she tripped over a metal object on the ground and tells the police she tried piking it up to figure out what it was.
Experts say it has a 550mm shell that is capable of destroying anything within a 1.5 mile radius; it has also been identified as a German explosive that traces back to WW2.
A geological surveyor has come up with the theory that 115 years ago when Barking was last developed, there has been slight movement to the ground due to the load of the surrounding structures. This is believed to have pushed the explosive up to ground level over the years.
Mary is now going through a series of scans to ensure that she is not contaminated as the bombs shell contains hazardous chemicals. Exposed soil is also being check for contamination.

On Saturday 26 March the Pioneers spent the afternoon with architect and Phd student Thomas-Bernard Kenniff. The group based themselves in the Town Square to explore different ideas, scenarios and stories of what could have gone on in the square. Testing the limits of what they can use their public space for. Bringing in ideas the group has learnt from looking at Barking’s history, to more topical issues of protest, the Pioneers wrote up their ideas in the form of short newspaper articles, along with a staged photo.

This Saturday the 26^thof March we’ve spend the day working with Thomas Kenniff. The aim for today’s workshop was to create a news story for the Town Square. It had to be an event that was happening in the town square. Our story took place in our favourite spot on the Town Square so we discussed and thought about what we can draw in from the place into our news item. After having a good thought about my favourite spot in the town square I decided to use the main building which was the Town Hall building. My story will be relating back to what I have learned over the last couple of months that are directly connected to public space and the Town Square. We spend some time discussing and developing the ideas with the whole group. After having an idea of what our story will be based on we did some sketches of what the scene will look like. We then had a choice to either take a photograph or do a drawing that will become the picture for our news item. As my story was base on a man protesting on the top of town hall. I decided to have my photograph taken showing a group of people looking up to the town hall in shocked. We were then were asked to write a 200 hundred work essay on our story. Overall today’s workshop was very interesting and helped developed my creativity.