The Sanctuary Commons is a space where peoples’ preconceptions are stripped to align their thoughts together to foster more constructive discourse. The spaces will be dedicated to creating an environment for focused democratic discussions. Working with the ground plane and on the deck of the Mancunian way creates both intimate and open debating spaces. Users are brought together in a new re-wilded environment that has reestablished contact with nature in the city center and repurposed the monolithic Mancunian way into a place of political, social, and environmental significance.
The adversarial layout in parliament has transcended into the current debating style where opposition parties remain highly divided over important issues. The narrative for flooding is being increasingly told in this manner: it is not constructive, productive, and healthy doesn’t ignite enough of a radical behavioral change among citizens as a whole. Whilst the urgency has deeply prevailed, the discourse needs to be more open and less defensive, bringing more vulnerability to the discussion where different water specialist groups feel comfortable expressing their concerns. It is essential that these groups are able to relate, share experiences, and feel a sense of closeness.
