Stitching Stories
The site is set within Northenden, situated in the south of Manchester bordering the river Mersey and the wide expansive Fletcher Moss Park. Its location provided a great foundation to instigate celebration, collaboration and education between non-human environments and the human.
Craftivism is a form of gentle activism in which its ideals are to use craft – art created with their hands - to inflict a change in social, political, or environmental issues. My proposal is set to encapsulate the notion of climate activism tied in with the art of craftivism, this was decided as the climate change emergency is urgent and our duty as humans is to order demonstrations against it for those who do not have a voice in the issue that is directly affecting them – the non-humans. Creating a craftivist centre allows the community within Northenden as well as the wider community in Manchester to have an identifiable area in which acts of craftivism can be organised. The building is set to provide all the necessities for the craftivists to create and showcase their pieces. With a craft library and shop where materials can be bought or borrowed, the learning library promotes education of the issues pertaining climate change but also educating the public on the non-human perspectives in and around the site. The exhibition gallery displays the carefully crafted pieces of the craftivists which would reflect on the non-human environment and how they are affected by climate change, this space then leads up to the café and craft space where they can produce their works.
As an atelier we were encouraged to use only natural materials in the construction of our designs, in my proposal I have opted for a rammed earth and timber palette using materials that are local to the area.
