The research project ‘Interim spaces and creative use’ was funded by the Leverhulme Trust with £45,000 over a period of two and a half years (1/10/12-31/3/15).
The research project investigates whether vacant spaces can be beneficial for local communities and for urban resilience if officially brought into interim uses. It builds upon a historical review of interim spaces (UK and international) to focus on London in the current downturn. Recent initiatives in London have been examined through an empirical study of local creative use in 5 representative sites. The research design comprised on-site filming and interviews with project initiators, volunteers and users, site surveys, and the web blog. The aim of the blog is to register oral accounts and live debate during and after the research project.
The project aims to make an original contribution to key debates including: how to plan for efficiency and resilience in a world without funding; worries over the standardisation of space; and the need to acknowledge everyday practices and the social and ecological value of places.
The lead researcher is Dr Krystallia Kamvasinou, an architect and landscape architect currently Leverhulme Research Fellow at the University of Westminster.
The research assistant is Sarah Milne, an architect and currently a PhD student at the University of Westminster.
Links:
http://www.leverhulme.ac.uk/index.cfm
http://www.westminster.ac.uk/urban-studies/projects/leverhulme-foundation
http://www.westminster.ac.uk/about-us/our-people/directory/kamvasinou-krystallia
Interim Spaces and Creative Use 