I was at a Vintage Fair about a week ago and it’s interesting who you might meet.
I love vintage things – from finding books, to jewellery or kitchen items – there is something about the history and design which appeals. While at this fair I started chatting to an lady who runs The Bicycling Button Museum. It is an informative little thing, if slightly wacky, and was lovely to meet and chat to the lady in charge.
The importance and influence of bikes socially is perhaps a topic for another post, but our meandering conversation lead us to talk about architecture. I was fascinated by a project she had got involved with when living in Exeter.
Her street had been that of our English city staple; rows of terraced Victorian houses with little back courtyards. They had, optionally, been given planter boxes for the front windows. The streets had no front gardens, with doors directly onto the pavement. The idea was experimental – by providing planters and mix of seeds social interaction with our physical neighbours was promoted. You could place a photo of your private back courtyard in your front window to show the variety of peoples personal spaces, and spark conversation. While the window box gave a glimpse of outdoor space becoming public.
I thought this was a fascinating piece of social action. Through a simple idea the importance of neighbourhood friendships had been revived. Historically those terraces would have, most likely, been busy with neighbourhood friendships and events. Now we so often don’t know anyone in our street, or area, let alone our neighbours. By simply creating opportunities to be outside together, and common things to discuss this social experiment promoted interaction.
‘Did it work?’ – that was my immediate question. It’s an interesting, seemingly simple idea, and yes though gardening might not be for everyone it in theory would develop friendships and also add vitality, ownership and vibrancy to the place. That’s all great in theory, but if the reality is that very little changes is it worth it. So I asked, ‘Did it work?’ – to which, quite happily, I was told it did. Huzzah!
I think this is a great picture of how we must consider how our relationships affect our health, and that seeing our neighbourhoods flourish is more that producing good design independant from its inhabitants.
This idea was brilliant, and yet it reality quite simple. Provide some window boxes and seeds, and you’ve got neighbour’s saying hello and communities becoming stronger.