The Un-Sociable Bench, and other urban micro-territories of encounter and intimidation.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Landscape Architecture
Abstract
This research looks at how small locations in urban neighbourhoods can become points of exclusion and disconnection or, conversely, of sociability and belonging. Our focus is on places where people often 'hang out', often unglamorous micro-places characterised by a bench, a low wall, a nearby takeaway or a park entrance. The people for whom the outside is a place to pass time are commonly 'outsiders' in different sense: individuals and groups who may not be able or want to stay at home or at workplaces, and can't financially afford to spend time in more convivial or protected leisure environments.
The aim of the research is to investigate the stories, memories and practices of people in using these places and to explore how the physical environment becomes a site of social interaction. The project will address how different dimensions of identity (race, class, gender, age) inform these encounters. Though the urban bench may occupy a nostalgic position in conceptions of neighbourliness, this research will also investigate aspects of inequality, conflict and control. In particular, we note increasing concern about gathering in public places (such as use of dispersal orders) and how places are often sanitised, including the removal of benches, with the aim of deterring longer-stay use of the public realm. The research will explore how casting certain groups of public space users as problematic (for example, young people) is at odds with public policy on mental, physical and social wellbeing which emphasises multiple benefits to being outdoors and participating in social contexts.
The research sits within the AHRC Connected Communities programme. It is conducted in two different London neighbourhoods, working with community organisations as Co-Investigators. The primary method will be the making of a high quality film, a fact-fiction hybrid approach to documentary in which the filmmaker collaborates with participants to generate creative material, drawing on their own memories, stories and values. The starting point will be the choice of a bench within each neighbourhood, the participants generating ideas about mini-stories from the point of view of the bench and its experiences over time. A ten minute film will be produced, accompanied by a booklet with the research findings and process. The film will be shown locally, will be the focus of a stakeholder workshop, and also be widely distributed within academic, policy and community contexts. The film will inform research data through the gathering and interaction of personal stories, the development of the film narrative itself, and its potential to prompt responses from people in different positions and with varied areas of expertise.
The research will be of benefit to academics researching social use of urban places (especially in diverse or disadvantaged contexts) and those whose agenda also includes place change either through design/regeneration (architecture, landscape architecture, planning) or through policy. Policy impacts include influencing agendas regarding public health, social inclusion, intercultural integration, supporting participation of elderly and young residents, and addressing hate crime and harassment.
The aim of the research is to investigate the stories, memories and practices of people in using these places and to explore how the physical environment becomes a site of social interaction. The project will address how different dimensions of identity (race, class, gender, age) inform these encounters. Though the urban bench may occupy a nostalgic position in conceptions of neighbourliness, this research will also investigate aspects of inequality, conflict and control. In particular, we note increasing concern about gathering in public places (such as use of dispersal orders) and how places are often sanitised, including the removal of benches, with the aim of deterring longer-stay use of the public realm. The research will explore how casting certain groups of public space users as problematic (for example, young people) is at odds with public policy on mental, physical and social wellbeing which emphasises multiple benefits to being outdoors and participating in social contexts.
The research sits within the AHRC Connected Communities programme. It is conducted in two different London neighbourhoods, working with community organisations as Co-Investigators. The primary method will be the making of a high quality film, a fact-fiction hybrid approach to documentary in which the filmmaker collaborates with participants to generate creative material, drawing on their own memories, stories and values. The starting point will be the choice of a bench within each neighbourhood, the participants generating ideas about mini-stories from the point of view of the bench and its experiences over time. A ten minute film will be produced, accompanied by a booklet with the research findings and process. The film will be shown locally, will be the focus of a stakeholder workshop, and also be widely distributed within academic, policy and community contexts. The film will inform research data through the gathering and interaction of personal stories, the development of the film narrative itself, and its potential to prompt responses from people in different positions and with varied areas of expertise.
The research will be of benefit to academics researching social use of urban places (especially in diverse or disadvantaged contexts) and those whose agenda also includes place change either through design/regeneration (architecture, landscape architecture, planning) or through policy. Policy impacts include influencing agendas regarding public health, social inclusion, intercultural integration, supporting participation of elderly and young residents, and addressing hate crime and harassment.
Planned Impact
Public Sector: This project has relevance to a wide range of priorities facing Local Authorities and City Mayor's offices. Council members, policy makers and front-line workers are involved in addressing exclusion and disconnection in these everyday locations. This is a cross-cutting project which combines 'place' agendas (planners, housing landscapes, city centre revitalisation) with social cohesion and wellbeing (community safety and policing, harassment and hate crime, anti-social behaviour, social inclusion and marginalised groups, youth participation).
Third sector/NGOs. 1. Supporting vulnerable and marginalised groups, for example in homelessness (eg Turning Point, Crisis); with refugees and asylum seekers (Refugee Youth, Refugee Housing Associations); tackling mental health issues (eg MIND, Mental Health Foundation, MAC UK); ageing and associated (eg dementia-friendly communities, Big's Ageing Better, the Campaign to End Loneliness and Age UK). 2. Addressing social capital and the role of social connections in health and well-being, public health bodies in local government and Public Health England. 3. Community cohesion (eg The Young Foundation (CI this project), JRF, Institute of Public Policy Research). 4. Promoting and delivering green space management and place making, eg (Spacemakers, place-making.org, GreenSpace, Groundwork).
Professional bodies and private sector: The work and expertise of many professional groups directly impacts on the quality of the local public realm. Landscape Architects (Landscape Institute), Planners (RTPI), Architects (RIBA) Greenspace managers, Youthworkers, Social workers and mental health support professionals.
Community groups: Neighbourhood and housing organisations, local campaigns for improving environmental quality i.e. 'Friends of...', community activists. For example in one of the project locations: Greenwich Inclusion Project (CI this project), Migrant Welcome, Greenwich Mind, Greenwich BME forum, Greenwich Older Voices. Also un-affiliated people who need or want to spend time outdoors, including elderly people, carers of young children, and people with little disposable income to spend time in 'paid-for' leisure locations.
Filmmakers and enthusiasts: specifically those interested in documentary forms.
Research team and project participants: Involvement in the filmmaking process gives participants a means of communicating what is important to them, and an insight into making a professional film. We aim to build capacity for future collaboration with academic research in the community CIs and fieldworkers.
How we will initiate change:
+ Perceptual shift through sharing narratives that are voiced through the research process: why particular places are used in certain ways, what difficult situations are perceived and worked through, how safety and sociability are experienced by different individuals and groups. (Aims 1, 2, 5)
+ Deepen understanding of how marginalised groups benefit from spending time outdoors, what problems are commonly faced, and what strategies are used to overcome these. (Aims 3, 4, 5)
+ Encourage NGOs to engage with the potential of using local outdoor space to achieve their aims (i.e. for their client group), to be realistic about barriers and opportunities, and to inform their own policies and practices. (Aims 2, 3, 4)
+ Co-produce (between participants and relevant organisations listed above) a shared analysis of the impact of controls on public space and processes that sanitise and stigmatise users of public open space. Scope to impact community policing policy and practice. (Aim 4)
+ Inform design and policy practice of gathering places in neighbourhood localities, challenge agendas of 'sanitisation', provide material for government planning panels and community design processes (local and national impact). (Aims 1, 2)
+ Demonstrate potential of research/community/arts collaborations in documentary filmmaking (Aim 5).
Third sector/NGOs. 1. Supporting vulnerable and marginalised groups, for example in homelessness (eg Turning Point, Crisis); with refugees and asylum seekers (Refugee Youth, Refugee Housing Associations); tackling mental health issues (eg MIND, Mental Health Foundation, MAC UK); ageing and associated (eg dementia-friendly communities, Big's Ageing Better, the Campaign to End Loneliness and Age UK). 2. Addressing social capital and the role of social connections in health and well-being, public health bodies in local government and Public Health England. 3. Community cohesion (eg The Young Foundation (CI this project), JRF, Institute of Public Policy Research). 4. Promoting and delivering green space management and place making, eg (Spacemakers, place-making.org, GreenSpace, Groundwork).
Professional bodies and private sector: The work and expertise of many professional groups directly impacts on the quality of the local public realm. Landscape Architects (Landscape Institute), Planners (RTPI), Architects (RIBA) Greenspace managers, Youthworkers, Social workers and mental health support professionals.
Community groups: Neighbourhood and housing organisations, local campaigns for improving environmental quality i.e. 'Friends of...', community activists. For example in one of the project locations: Greenwich Inclusion Project (CI this project), Migrant Welcome, Greenwich Mind, Greenwich BME forum, Greenwich Older Voices. Also un-affiliated people who need or want to spend time outdoors, including elderly people, carers of young children, and people with little disposable income to spend time in 'paid-for' leisure locations.
Filmmakers and enthusiasts: specifically those interested in documentary forms.
Research team and project participants: Involvement in the filmmaking process gives participants a means of communicating what is important to them, and an insight into making a professional film. We aim to build capacity for future collaboration with academic research in the community CIs and fieldworkers.
How we will initiate change:
+ Perceptual shift through sharing narratives that are voiced through the research process: why particular places are used in certain ways, what difficult situations are perceived and worked through, how safety and sociability are experienced by different individuals and groups. (Aims 1, 2, 5)
+ Deepen understanding of how marginalised groups benefit from spending time outdoors, what problems are commonly faced, and what strategies are used to overcome these. (Aims 3, 4, 5)
+ Encourage NGOs to engage with the potential of using local outdoor space to achieve their aims (i.e. for their client group), to be realistic about barriers and opportunities, and to inform their own policies and practices. (Aims 2, 3, 4)
+ Co-produce (between participants and relevant organisations listed above) a shared analysis of the impact of controls on public space and processes that sanitise and stigmatise users of public open space. Scope to impact community policing policy and practice. (Aim 4)
+ Inform design and policy practice of gathering places in neighbourhood localities, challenge agendas of 'sanitisation', provide material for government planning panels and community design processes (local and national impact). (Aims 1, 2)
+ Demonstrate potential of research/community/arts collaborations in documentary filmmaking (Aim 5).
Organisations
Publications
Bynon, R.
(2015)
Benches for Everyone. Solitude in public, sociability for free
Johnson E.
(2019)
Well-being 2016, Co-creating Pathways to Well-being
Johnson, E.
(2018)
Co-Creating Pathways to Wellbeing
Rishbeth C
(2017)
Sitting outside: Conviviality, self-care and the design of benches in urban public space
in Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers
Rishbeth C
(2017)
Sitting outside: Conviviality, self-care and the design of benches in urban public space
in Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers
Slavid, R
(2016)
Benchmark for Inclusion
in Landscape - The Journal of the Landscape Institute
| Title | Alone Together, 4 minute edit focusing on the Nepali community of Woolwich |
| Description | Alone Together, 4 minute edit focusing on the Nepali community of Woolwich |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Impact | The film has been used to introduce the Bench Project in talks when there is not capacity or time to show the full version, or when a particular focus on the experience of this migrant group is desirable. |
| URL | https://www.nowness.com/story/alone-together-the-social-life-of-park-benches-esther-johnson |
| Title | Alone Together, 4 minute edit focusing on the Nepali community of Woolwich - featured on NOWNESS |
| Description | Alone Together, 4 minute edit focusing on the Nepali community of Woolwich. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Impact | As a result of the 4 minute edit I made of 'Alone Together' for NOWNESS, Esther Johnson has been asked to submit ideas for new works for NOWNESS. |
| URL | https://www.nowness.com/story/alone-together-the-social-life-of-park-benches-esther-johnson |
| Title | Alone Together, the Social Life of Benches |
| Description | lone Together, the Social Life of Benches illuminates the thoughts and memories of frequent users of two public spaces in London: General Gordon Square, Woolwich and St Helier Open Space, Sutton. Revolving around the micro-space of the humble bench, the experiential capacity of film is used to highlight themes such as the feeling of being in a space, the rhythm and flow of visitors to a place, and the importance of design for everyday street furniture. The film acts like a stranger who joins you on a bench to 'watch the world go by', and to break the ice by starting a conversation with their fellow bench user. Director/Producer: Esther Johnson Year: 2015 Duration: 00:18:00 Country of Production: UK Production Format: 2K Picture: Colour Sound: Stereo Listing: IMDb Distribution: ARGOS |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Impact | Selected for Archive with Argos centre for film and media in Brussels. Entered for: • Frauen Film Festival, Kolm • Images Festival Toronto • Cinema du Reel, Paris • Go Shoot, Netherlands • Alchemy, Scotland • EMAF Germany • Krakow Film Festival, Poland • Oberhausen Germany • Raindance Film Festival London • Thessalonika Film Festival Greece • Tampere Film Festival Finland • Hamburg Film Festival Germany • Landscape and the Sublime, Devon • Hot Dogs Film Fest, Toronto • Chicago International Film Festival • Open City Docs Fest, UCL • Sheffield Doc Fest • Berlinale International Film Fest |
| URL | http://blanchepictures.com/alone-together/ |
| Description | Benches are valued as public, egalitarian and free. Bench-space allows people to loosely belong within the flow of city life, to see and be seen. Solitude and conversation are equally acceptable. Sitting on benches supports healthy everyday routines by enabling people to spend longer outside. These opportunities to rest can be restorative for mental health and support local walking when personal mobility is limited. Benches function as a social resource - they are flexible places to spend time at no cost. This is appreciated by many, and especially vital for people who are largely marginalised from other collective environments such as work, cafes, educational or leisure facilities. They are contrasted positively with crowded, lonely or boring home situations. Design of benches and of sittable public space is important. Comfort and accessibility are basic requirements. Clustering of benches and co-location with a range of facilities provides interest and gives legitimacy to hanging out. The ability to gather in larger groups is valued by many. People need to feel safe. Frequently used, visible spaces with a choice of where to sit can support this. A mix of short and long stay bench users supports informal safety in numbers. Quality of materials, attractive planting, and cleanliness of public space seems to increase individual tolerance for the proximity of strangers and diverse ways of enjoying public space. |
| Exploitation Route | Making Benches Better: Points for Action Benches should be recognised and promoted as a social good, core to supporting mental health and active lifestyles policies. Local strategies should address inequality in quantity and quality of benches in urban locations, and these should reflect the access and wellbeing requirements of different users of benches. Formal and incidental public space should be maximised as a local social resource by clustering of benches and co-location with leisure facilities and local services. Design of public spaces should increase the quantity and diversity of non-commercial seating, and introduce natural elements and planting wherever possible. The traditional two-seater bench may have had its day: longer benches and larger seating structures are more adaptable in supporting fluid social networks. Benches need to be comfortable as well as robust. 'Hostile architecture' approaches have led to a reduction of bench provision and the specification of deliberately uncomfortable seating in some places. Thermal comfort, height, backs and arms of benches need to be human friendly. Research and innovation in product design and landscape architecture are needed. Management of public spaces should ensure hanging out is legitimised as a non-criminal activity: balancing safety agendas with a meaningful inclusivity of diverse people and activities. In busy urban places the role of uniformed wardens is largely welcomed in maintaining acceptable communal behaviour as long as this is exercised with a light touch. Minimise potential conflict to reduce reliance on explicit security measures. 'Anti-social behaviour' is often simply differently-social. While violent or hate crime should be actively addressed, this should not be at the expense of bench provision or the quality of the public space. People should be encouraged to use benches through integrated planning, design and management. Key aims should be to support high pedestrian movement through open space networks, maintain good visibility, zone quieter and noisier areas and give options of where to sit. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Environment,Healthcare,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
| URL | http://the-bench-project.weebly.com/research.html |
| Description | Our findings have been used to develop skills in the landscape architecture profession to state and argue the provision of public seating as intrinsic to inclusion and wellbeing in public life. The report gives Landscape Architects the evidence to state this clearly with clients. New graduates of Landscape Architecture courses have take this learning from the project into their new professional roles. At the local scale, in Greenwich the deeper knowledge of the Nepali community and establishment of good links between these residents and Greenwich Inclusion Project has led to better informed discussions with regard to housing and benefits. In Sutton the work has stimulated discussion on access specifically with groups of older people. The specific finding of the importance of being able to sit outside for supporting wellbeing and inclusion for people marginalised from eduction, work and paid-for leisure facilities has led to developing new programmes for developing impact with refugees. In particular, new funding has been found to develop impact between refugee support services and public open space organisations. The making of the Alone Together film has been important in bridging professional silos with regard to the arts and narratives of wellbeing, and has been important in developing discussion on film and oral history, representation on documentary film of 'lived experience' and interactions between ethnography and film. In 2016 a bid was put forward by team members from the Bench Project for follow on funding from the AHRC. This funding was successful, and a range of impact activities associated with the #refugeeswelcome in parks project is detailed under that grant funding (2017 - ongoing). |
| Sector | Environment,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | Follow-on funding for Impact and Engagement Scheme: Connected Communities Highlight Notice on Creating Living Knowledge: Enhancing the Impacts and Legacies from Community-Engaged and Participatory Research Projects |
| Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/P009514/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2017 |
| End | 11/2017 |
| Description | GLOSS: Collaborative international research opportunities for undergraduate students in the Faculty of Social Sciences |
| Amount | £2,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2016 |
| End | 08/2016 |
| Description | X/161761 - Cultural Change and Green Infrastructure in Lebanon |
| Amount | £4,464 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | X/161761 |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2019 |
| End | 07/2019 |
| Description | 'Walking on Film' People's History Museum, Manchester |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This event was allied to the exhibition on 'Loitering with Intent' exhibition at the People's History Museum. It was a specific event to show films relating to walking, with a discussion between three filmmakers. The film 'Alone Together' was show and Esther Johnson talked about the process of making the film. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.phm.org.uk/whatson/loitering-with-intent/ |
| Description | An artefact and film contribution to 'Loitering with Intent' exhibition in Manchester People's History Museum. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This exhibition was curated by The Loiterer's Resistance Movement and involved a range of exhibits for a three month period in The People's History Museum Manchester. The Bench Project contributed a large print of 'The Bench Manifesto' and the 'Alone Together' film was shown on a loop. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.phm.org.uk/whatson/loitering-with-intent/ |
| Description | Annual Landscape Architecture conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Two workshops were held on benches for landscape architecture: presenting the findings of the research and showing the film to landscape architects as part of a formal CPD provision. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.landscapeinstitute.org/events/ |
| Description | Architecture walk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We conducted a walk in Woolwich related to our research project as part of the London Festival of Architecture. We were joined by Donncha O Shea from Landscape Architecture practice Gustafson-Porter who was the lead designer on the square. We visited two sites and discussed the aims and emerging findings of the project. This was organised by the Landscape Institute. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://the-bench-project.weebly.com/events.html |
| Description | Beyond Text in the Digital Age: conference presentation and film screening. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | The screening of 'Alone Together' contributed to debates on digital understandings and representations of oral history in this conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | COM nu TIES - Seuils/Drempels/Thresholds at ISELP and ARGOS Brussels |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Alone Together was screened as part of this film festival. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | COM nu TIES - Seuils/Drempels/Thresholds at ISELP and ARGOS Brussels |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a good gallery exhibition. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | City for Sale 9th Architecture Film Festival Rotterdam |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Alone Together film was shown as part of the Rotterdam architecture film festival. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.affr.nl/en/edities/editie-2017/ |
| Description | Conference talk: Beyond Text in the Digital Age, Oral History, Images and Words |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Discussion the contribution of filmmaking within oral history traditions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.ohs.org.uk/conferences/2016-conference-beyond-text-in-the-digital-age/ |
| Description | Discussion with 'Bench Project Ipswich' about their funding bid for an arts based intervention in Ipswich |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | We had a series of discussion between the arts faciliator and the bench maker. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Film screening and debate. Art and Design Research Centre Seminar, Sheffield Hallam University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Film screening and presentation of the research contributing to debate on the role of film and arts/humanities in design. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Film showing and on-site discussion for Open House London. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was an on-site discussion of benches and social uses of General Gordon Square, Woolwich, from three members of the project team. This on-site visit was followed by a pre-launch viewing of our film "Alone Together, the social life of benches". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://the-bench-project.weebly.com/events.html |
| Description | Film showing and seminar for professional Landscape Architects, Urban Designers and Architects. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a sell-out event in collaboration with the Landscape Institute and sponsored by Marshalls. About 80 professionals attended to view the film, hear the project findings from two team members, and discuss this with respect to the design and management of public space. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bench-space-the-delicate-art-of-sitting-outside-tickets-19333683568 |
| Description | Gurkha Settlement fund |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of research findings to the policy officer who covers Gurkha settlement for the council. We have discussed the need for a specific housing policy that address the elders needs. There cannot be a specific housing policy for the Nepalese as equivalents would need to formed for other community groups. Therefore, we are exploring the possibility of formulating a housing policy for the Plumstead area, where most of the Nepalese community live. We also discussed the social models to tackle poor housing outcomes, and how that could be potentially scaled up into policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Housing Policy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation about research to a policy officer who covers Gurkha settlement for the council. We have discussed the need for a specific housing policy that address the elders needs. There cannot be a specific housing policy for the Nepalese as equivalents would need to formed for other community groups. Therefore, we are exploring the possibility of formulating a housing policy for the Plumstead area, where most of the Nepalese community live. We also discussed the social models to tackle poor housing outcomes, and how that could be potentially scaled up into policy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | In Place of Architecture Symposium film showing and discussion |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This event brought together photographers, filmmakers, and writers on photography and architecture to examine the role that photography and moving image play in our contemporary interpretation, perception and understanding of the architectural environment. The film was shown and discussed as an example of co-produced filmmaking (including collaboration with landscape architecture). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://www.boningtongallery.co.uk/exhibitions/inplaceofarchitecture |
| Description | Intercultural public spaces - Urban design group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I presented work drawing on findings from both research projects and discussed how these could relate to urban design practice. In particular I established links with Buro Happold and Camden Borough Council |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://www.udg.org.uk |
| Description | Interviewed on 'Alone Together' podcast about this research (Canadian Journalist Peg Fong) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Inteviewed for Canada based podcast: Peg Fong, journalist in Vancouver, Canada and the host of an international podcast called Alone Together in which we explore loneliness through the lens of science, public policy, culture and art and history. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Lunchtime seminar for policy and practice (London) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | This was the Young Foundation launch of the report and attracted London based organisations concerned with inclusion and public space design and management. The film was shown, the findings presented and debate. involving 3 members of the project team. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://youngfoundation.org/events/lunchtime-seminar-benches-everyone-solitude-public-sociability-fre... |
| Description | Northumbria University: film showing and debate. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 20 academics and postgraduates on social science and professional orientated courses (e.g. architecture) attended a showing of 'Alone Together' film and presentation on the relevance of the bench project for public space design and management. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Pathways to Wellbeing: academic and practitioners conference. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Esther Johnson presented the film 'Alone Together; and discussed the implications for conceptions of wellbeing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.wmahsn.org/events/2016/09/05/Well-being_Conference_2016_Co-Creating_Pathways_to_Well-Bein... |
| Description | Place: Who belongs where? (Glasshouse Community Led Design Debate) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This was a well-publicised public event, one of a series of debates hosted by Glasshouse Community Led Design. Radhika Bynon was one of 3 speakers - the others were a leading private sector developer and a community activist. There was an animated discussion about the findings of The Bench Project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.theglasshouse.org.uk/new-podcast-place-who-belongs-here/ |
| Description | Placemaking Conference Todmordon |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a festival of public places and participation organised by 'Incredible Edible' in Todmordon, but drawing a regional audience. I spoke about the bench project and refugees welcome. I had a number of follow on requests for information. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://incrediblefestival.org.uk |
| Description | Practices of belonging, practices of place: conversations in film and research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | 50 people attend a screening of 'Alone Together: The Social Life of Benches'. Film-maker Esther Johnson and I took part in a question and answer session about the film. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Presentation to Art and Design Research Centre, SHU (sheffield) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This was a presentation on the filmmaking and research, including a showing of the film. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Presentation to Project for Public Spaces (New York) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | This was a lunchtime seminar at Project for Public Spaces (US national and international think tank): based at their head office in New York. Clare Rishbeth showed the Alone Together film and enagaged with debate on sitting outside and public space design and management. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.pps.org |
| Description | Safeguarding Adults (Woolwich) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A meeting was held with the Safeguarding Adults team within the council. As this meeting grip raised the issue of a lack of toilets in the Plumstead/Winns common area for the elders and wider community. We discussed that this places the elders in vulnerable position and presents a safeguarding concern. The safeguarding team agreed and are looking at ways that this could be elevated. However, reopening the toilets in Slade Green is proving to be challenging and appears to be an unrealistic ask |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Seminar at the Michael Young Centenary Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | This was a high profile conference organised by The Young Foundation. We presented at one of the parallel sessions engaging broadly on themes of equity and public space. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://youngfoundation.org/events/michael-young-centenary-conference/ |
| Description | Seminar in Sheffield |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A seminar for sharing research findings, based in the university and focused on landscape architecture students on professional courses. This was open to members of the public and also attracted interest from people from other professional disciplines (planners, architects). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Solo Gallery Exhibition Always and Never at Home ARGOS centre for art and media Brussels, Belgium |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The ARGOS centre is a prestigious collection of contemporary art and films, this was an invited solo exhibition of a selection of Johnson's films. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.argosarts.org/artist.jsp?artistid=0beaa46dd89e4d5bba1f3f10c24d4a8d |
| Description | St Helier Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We held a stall at the St Helier Festival and members of the public could chat about benches with us. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://the-bench-project.weebly.com/events.html |
| Description | Sutton film premiere |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | This was a local end of project event including showing of the film. Present were a wide range of local organisations concerned with equity, inclusion, local environment, carers, as well as the participants involved with the film itself. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://the-bench-project.weebly.com/events.html |
| Description | Symposium on Urbanisation in the British Isles: Switzerland conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Ben Rogaly showed 'Alone Together' and presented a talk on the Bench Project to people interested in urban renewal and regeneration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Television interview on RT-UK new channel |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Clare Rishbeth was interviewed in Sheffield for a new item on homelessness and hostile architecture. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Urban squares in Sheffield |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Discussion with two staff members at the Site Gallery about developments in the adjacent public space, with particular regard to applying for further funding. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Website exhibition on NOWNESS of 'Alone Together, 4 minute edit focusing on the Nepali community of Woolwich' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | NOWNESS curates short films for an international audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.nowness.com/story/alone-together-the-social-life-of-park-benches-esther-johnson |
| Description | Well-Being 2016: The Third International Conference Exploring the Multi-Dimensions of Well-Being |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Screening of Alone Together and presentation of the research findings in a context of wellbeing in urban living. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.wmahsn.org/events/2016/09/05/Well-being_Conference_2016_Co-Creating_Pathways_to_Well-Bein... |
| Description | Woolwich Borough commander and senior police team |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A meeting was held with the Borough commander and senior police team to explore ways that the Nepalese elders can report all forms of crime. Initial conversations around a workshop have been stalled as the police would like to develop a 'third party mechanism' for reporting crime. This dimension of work requires more time and careful planning, due to risk issues about reports not reaching the police promptly. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| Description | Woolwich Film Premiere and Photographic Exhibition. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | This was the local launch of the film in Woolwich, and was also combined with a photography exhibition showing photos by participants in the research. The film sparked a discussion among a range of attendees. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
| URL | http://the-bench-project.weebly.com/events.html |
| Description | Workshop at professional national conference (Sheffield) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We held two workshops at the Annual Landscape Institute conference, including showing the film, presentation of the manifesto and report, followed by discussion on implications for Landscape Architects. Reports and DVDs of the film were distributed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.landscapeinstitute.org/events/index.php |
| Description | Workshop with Greenwich Housing Rights |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | A workshop (November) between Greenwich Housing Rights (http://www.grhr.co.uk/) and the Nepalese elders about poor housing outcomes. At this meeting Greenwich Housing Rights has offered to take this work forward, working closely with grip. Also, at this meeting, the elders raised the issues of immigration and their children. Grip will seek an immigration solicitor and organise a workshop with the elders. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |