Who Can Participate
Everyone!
Open Block is a public workshop taking place in the new Chisenhale Road community space + playground. It is open to all members of the local community, children at the Chisenhale Primary school, studio members of the Chisenhale Studio and anyone else who is curious and wants to participate in community led design projects.
Get Involved
Covid-19 Safety
Maximum precautions have been taken to ensure that the workshops comply with COVID safety. The workshops will take place primarily outside in time slots that limit participation to a maximum number of 5 people at anyone one time. Please use the sign-up sheet to ensure to book a slot.
Dates
5th April
Community Design Workshop
Help design the space using a set of scaled site model, blocks and timber to explore the different ways it can be used. These models will then be digitised and be availble to view in VR.
Times -
11am - 4pm
7th + 8th April
Construction Workshop
Two days of hands-on making to realise the designs in timber. Open to everyone with safety inductions on using power tools.
Times -
All Day
9th April
Planting Day
A day of community gardening and planting to help transform the final space.
Times -
11am - 4pm
Process
Community Site Planning + Design
Using a large 1:10 scale model of the site and building materials, participants can prototype many different possible designs and possibilities for the public space.
AR + VR Visualisation
These designs will then be digitised and viewed in a 3D showcase using the Unreal4 Game Engine.
On Site Construction
A number of designs will be built and installed on site.
Community Planting
Help prepare the space with a day of seed planting and gardening.
The Workshop Team
Heat Island
The Workshop is being led by London design studio Heat Island working alongside several local residents.
Heat Island is a new design studio working across architecture, urbanism, software and environmental engineering.
Find out more
Christopher Burman is an urban technologist, artist and one of the co-founders of Heat Island. He has led several community design + build projects and workshops around London and internationally including 'TV Dinner' in Gillett Square, Hackney and 'Group Chat' at the Strelka Institute, Moscow. He is also a founding member of education & design collective STORE Projects