OUGD603 - Brief 02 - Bowling Together Brief

Brief

I was approached by Dr Emma Jackson, a senior lecturer of sociology at Goldsmiths, University of London to create some design work regarding her recent research project. Throughout her practice, her research and writing explore the relationship between everyday practices of belonging and the production of spaces and places in cities.

The project, entitled The Choreography of Everyday Multiculture: Bowling Together? examines a seemingly ordinary place, a bowling alley, used by a diverse population in terms of age, class and ethnicity and standing on a busy crossroads in a fast changing neighbourhood at the intersection of three London boroughs. The research uses this example to examine the dynamics of contemporary leisure space in the context of processes of urban change in London and changing discourses of what makes ‘good’ urban space.

There are three interrelated layers to this research. First, through an in-depth examination of who uses the space and how, the research seeks to find out what kinds of interactions, tensions, belongings and negotiations the space engenders. Second, the research will uncover how the changing uses of this site reflect the social historical processes (including economic processes and migration histories) that have shaped the area.

Lastly, the neighbourhood is set to undergo major redevelopment and so the bowling alley provides a prime location for investigating these processes of change and debates about what constitutes valuable urban space, what stays and what goes. The project thus examines how processes of neighbourhood change, including gentrification and town centre remodelling, intersect with arguments about multiculture and the city and practices of belonging.


It was specified that the outcomes of the project would be shared across three platforms:

1) A three screen presentation of the film on Nov 9th (a link to the film can be found HERE)
2) A small booklet for people to take away on the night of the screening and at future events
3) A website that will make the film material digitally accessible

In terms of design work it was specified that she would first need a 'Bowling Together' logo that could be used across the film, website, social media, and any related printed documents. Secondary products would include a booklet to feature the full written academic report, a series of reversible posters, featuring bowling slogans and mottos, and a small feedback card to gather responses to the project.

Audience

The intended audience for this project was quite wide, and ranged from other academics working in the same field, to families who use the bowling alley. Keeping this in mind it was discussed that any colours used should be bright and welcoming, and designs should be kept open and accessible to younger and older audiences.



Deadline

The deadline for this work would be five weeks from the initial briefing, on the 31/10/18.