Theres a good idea!
Beam encourages creative thinking about regeneration...
Urban design, architecture, public art, and engineering, deployed in our streets, buildings, parks, and public spaces, are what makes the public realm look good and function well. Good public realm creates a sense of safety, ownership, efficiency, and delight, attracting tourists and business investment.
Regeneration can't be just top-down or professional-led. It needs the involvement of users and local people, who can inform the work of the professionals to bring their skills to bear in an appropriate way.
Shared Space
At Beam we are keen to champion the concept of Shared Space. We have already taken 50 community leaders from across the Yorkshire Region to Holland and organised a conference in York attended by 150 planners, architects and community leaders. We are crrently developing further programmes with colleagues in Holland which will lead to the creation of a Europe wide Shared Space Institute.
http://www.sharedspace.eu/en/home
Transformations
Beam has delivered a number of temporary transformations of public spaces, most notably 'The Green' during 2003, which won the Roses Award for the best use of public art. Temporary transformations provide a unique approach to community engagement, creating excitement and challenging pre-conceptions.
For one weekend in November 2009, Exhibition Square in York was transformed by Beam, in collaboration with DSDHA Architects and Pilot Theatre. A new gateway to the square was created from bright orange boxes in the bus lay-by. The aim was to reclaim the space and encourage the community to see the square from a different perspective. During the weekend the public were encouraged to register their interest in being involved in further consultation with the City of York Council. For further information about the project visit http://p-c-p.squarespace.com
Students from Hole in the Roof Productions, York St Johns University have produced a short film about the York Transformation. Thanks to Rheya Brigden, Emma Smith, Daniel Vivash and Thomas Kirby. Watch the video here.
Public Art & Building Schools for the Future
The Building Schools for the Future Programme will transform education. State of the art teaching and learning facilities will be a catalyst to changes in methods and outcomes.
In Sheffield, Beam has worked with the consortium to build and refurbish schools across the city to ensure good quality public art was integrated into the schools emerging from the first stage of the programme. An international competition led to artists working with students to produce works that reflected the character and identity of the whole community of users.
The results of the work have been catalogued. Download the pdf
BSF_Sheffield_Public_Art_Project_Catalogue.pdf
Community Consultation - Interconnections
Work in developing land between Copley Valley and Sowerby Bridge is the largest regeneration project in the Upper Calder Valley and aims to deliver significant employment opportunities and family housing to the area.
Our work on the Interconnections project engaged the local community in generating ideas for the Sowerby Copley Transformational Project. Activity involved community groups, the primary schools and Calderdale College. From all the activity six key themes emerged: Design, Identity, Play, Nature, Connectivity and Sustainability.
A short film has been created by Access Moving Image to document the process.
Watch 'Interconnections: Contribution through Consultation' here.
Piece Hall Creative Workshop
In June 2008 young People from Halifax gave us their ideas on how to revamp Halifax’s historic Piece Hall. During a packed day of creative activities including drama, model making and collage, students from Calderdale College were asked to consider how to make the most of the historic grounds of the Piece Hall. Beam delivered the workshop as part of the MBED partnership on behalf of Integreat Yorkshire's Partnership Skills programme.
This film was made by Craig Lawson -- Access Moving Image.
Watch the video on our YouTube page
Realisation. A book of ideas for our new school
As part of Barnsley's ambitious Re-Making Learning Programme the Priory Sports College and Willowgarth High School will shortly merge and have a new school building. While Re-Making Learning is about more than new school buildings, and intends to transform the borough's approach to learning - it is our view that the design of those new schools will play an important part in what takes place within them.
Sketchbook of ideas created by the pupils
People Making Places. The story so far - and what next? by Robert Powell
Robert Powell outlines the origins and development of the "People Making Places" programme and speculates on its future and that of similar initiatives. Extract from "People Making Places: Imagination in the Public Realm".
Imagine! by Will Alsop
What is a public space, and what is it for? Architect Will Alsop contemplates the definition of the "public realm", and proposes a wider role for artists and citizens.Extract from "People Making Places: Imagination in the Public Realm".
Dealing With Commissioners (and Living to Tell the Tale) by David Mach
"If they want you to play God they should give you a bigger budget!" David Mach on being commissioned to produce art. Extract from: "Making Places: Working with Art in the Public Realm"
