Thursday, 20 August 2009
At the Chalk Pit. 16 August 2009
I decided not to set up my workstation today and spend the day walking around the Chalk pit, observing, occasionally chatting, planning and getting ideas together.
The first thing I did in the morning was go into the caves, understandably one of the most exciting aspects of the site for youngsters and adults alike. In a world of increasing concerns over health and safety, or more to the point, concerns over litigation due to perceived inadequate attention to health and safety, it is liberating to explore somewhere that is out of bounds, but accessible.
Everyone I spoke to that grew up around the Chalk pit has been in the caves. It seems like a kind of rite of passage if you grow up in Paulsgrove. The myth and the history of the place entwine making this a really exciting place to visit, especially on you own.
I scrambled up and went into the tunnel. It was bright outside but as soon as you get inside and go to turn around the corner it is pitch black. I didn’t have a torch so used my camera flash to navigate through the space, looking at the photo as I went so as not to trip over. The images here are a navigational aid rather than a documentation of the space.
The rest of the day was spent walking around, looking for clearings and dens, blackberry bushes, apple trees and the one elusive pair tree. Sitting in the far west of the site up the top of the hill listening, watching and drawing.
The first thing I did in the morning was go into the caves, understandably one of the most exciting aspects of the site for youngsters and adults alike. In a world of increasing concerns over health and safety, or more to the point, concerns over litigation due to perceived inadequate attention to health and safety, it is liberating to explore somewhere that is out of bounds, but accessible.
Everyone I spoke to that grew up around the Chalk pit has been in the caves. It seems like a kind of rite of passage if you grow up in Paulsgrove. The myth and the history of the place entwine making this a really exciting place to visit, especially on you own.
I scrambled up and went into the tunnel. It was bright outside but as soon as you get inside and go to turn around the corner it is pitch black. I didn’t have a torch so used my camera flash to navigate through the space, looking at the photo as I went so as not to trip over. The images here are a navigational aid rather than a documentation of the space.
The rest of the day was spent walking around, looking for clearings and dens, blackberry bushes, apple trees and the one elusive pair tree. Sitting in the far west of the site up the top of the hill listening, watching and drawing.
At the Chalk Pit. 15 August 2009
I was a bit late to the chalk pit and got grief from Billy Butcher and Calvin (both ex armed forces), “you wouldn’t make it in the army”, they told me, and they were right.
After a good hour of conversation and drawing in the stones on the path I followed a route they suggested around the chalk pit, and then set up my gazebo in the same place as the day before.
The weather was more overcast and windy than the previous day so I set up my workstation and rested heavy stones on my drawing to stop it blowing away. The first couple of hours were good, quieter but this allowed me some time to get a few of the ideas together.
I had had a few problems with my hotel the previous night (I had been double booked) and needed to find somewhere to stay and mentioned this to one of the elderly dog walkers in passing. He offered for me to come and stay with him, he had a spare room. I was really touched by his generosity and although I didn’t stay I popped round to his house at the end of the day to say thanks.
At about 2.30/3pm I had attracted a good group of under 12’s that were interested in what I was doing and engaging really well, until a slightly older group decided to ‘join in’. They were interested for about a minite and then started being destructive. Starting off by taking the stones off the drawing they proceeded to throw them at each other, then scaring off the younger group and turning their attention to my equipment. After nearly pulling the gazebo down I decided to pack up so that all my stuff wouldn’t’ get destroyed.
I sat with next to my stuff for 10 minutes (as it was a lot to carry but I couldn’t leave anything) whilst getting a bit of verbal abuse and then walked with full arms to the car whilst having stones thrown at me. I put the equipment in the car and walked back to the pitch to clear up the stones and the group of 6 ran off.
I felt real sense of failure that I hadn’t been able to engage this group, anger that they treated me so badly and concern for any work I might design for this place.
Luckily I bumped into the family of nine I had met the day before and they lifted my spirits by bringing drawing of ideas they had from our previous conversation, and chatting again for well over an hour about how the chalk pit could be improved for families. We also spoke to neighbours of theirs consisting of two grandparents (that I had met the previous day), one parent and three young children.
This was an emotional day oscillating between kindness and violence, friendship and disrespect, passionate interest and apathy. I learned a lot about this place today.
After a good hour of conversation and drawing in the stones on the path I followed a route they suggested around the chalk pit, and then set up my gazebo in the same place as the day before.
The weather was more overcast and windy than the previous day so I set up my workstation and rested heavy stones on my drawing to stop it blowing away. The first couple of hours were good, quieter but this allowed me some time to get a few of the ideas together.
I had had a few problems with my hotel the previous night (I had been double booked) and needed to find somewhere to stay and mentioned this to one of the elderly dog walkers in passing. He offered for me to come and stay with him, he had a spare room. I was really touched by his generosity and although I didn’t stay I popped round to his house at the end of the day to say thanks.
At about 2.30/3pm I had attracted a good group of under 12’s that were interested in what I was doing and engaging really well, until a slightly older group decided to ‘join in’. They were interested for about a minite and then started being destructive. Starting off by taking the stones off the drawing they proceeded to throw them at each other, then scaring off the younger group and turning their attention to my equipment. After nearly pulling the gazebo down I decided to pack up so that all my stuff wouldn’t’ get destroyed.
I sat with next to my stuff for 10 minutes (as it was a lot to carry but I couldn’t leave anything) whilst getting a bit of verbal abuse and then walked with full arms to the car whilst having stones thrown at me. I put the equipment in the car and walked back to the pitch to clear up the stones and the group of 6 ran off.
I felt real sense of failure that I hadn’t been able to engage this group, anger that they treated me so badly and concern for any work I might design for this place.
Luckily I bumped into the family of nine I had met the day before and they lifted my spirits by bringing drawing of ideas they had from our previous conversation, and chatting again for well over an hour about how the chalk pit could be improved for families. We also spoke to neighbours of theirs consisting of two grandparents (that I had met the previous day), one parent and three young children.
This was an emotional day oscillating between kindness and violence, friendship and disrespect, passionate interest and apathy. I learned a lot about this place today.
At the Chalk Pit. 14 August 2009
I arrived half an hour before I was due to be on site and already had one person waiting for me. It was no surprise that this was the gentleman that left a message on my phone earlier in the week. Over the course of the next 3 days I gained a real insight into the Chalk Pit from his perspective (he is a retired 5 times a day dog walker). He had a particular interest in the ecology and history of the site and had a lot to say about the destructive and negative impact of the youth at the Chalk pit. Many that I met over the next 3 days shared his passion for the place.
I set up my Gazebo, tables and large-scale map/drawing that I had produced in the studio and before I had finished getting set up I was already getting interest. I had a constant flow of people coming over and talking to me, telling me how they used the chalk pit, aspirations and concerns about it, the history, ecology and stories ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Two thirds of the people that I spoke to during the day were under 14 (the rest were predominantly over 50) and it gave me a real insight into how the chalk pit was currently being used and the kind of things they like doing, and what made the place special for them.
The most memorable aspects of the first day were being shown the newts and the bike jump, talking to a family of nine, including two parents with 5 children under 12, nan and uncle, for over an hour, listening to the tales of Billy Butcher, from WWII to UFO’s (and lots more), talking to the community wardens and chatting to groups of up to 8 children at a time about caves, football, playing man hunt, riding bikes, peregrine falcons and lots more. I commented to one young boy that “is it just boys that come here”, he rode off on his bike and came back a few minutes later with sisters and their friends.
I set up my Gazebo, tables and large-scale map/drawing that I had produced in the studio and before I had finished getting set up I was already getting interest. I had a constant flow of people coming over and talking to me, telling me how they used the chalk pit, aspirations and concerns about it, the history, ecology and stories ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous.
Two thirds of the people that I spoke to during the day were under 14 (the rest were predominantly over 50) and it gave me a real insight into how the chalk pit was currently being used and the kind of things they like doing, and what made the place special for them.
The most memorable aspects of the first day were being shown the newts and the bike jump, talking to a family of nine, including two parents with 5 children under 12, nan and uncle, for over an hour, listening to the tales of Billy Butcher, from WWII to UFO’s (and lots more), talking to the community wardens and chatting to groups of up to 8 children at a time about caves, football, playing man hunt, riding bikes, peregrine falcons and lots more. I commented to one young boy that “is it just boys that come here”, he rode off on his bike and came back a few minutes later with sisters and their friends.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
A warm welcome
12/8/09_I just had a message from an irate Paulsgrove resident about the prospect of a play trail at the chalk pit. He didn't leave his name but I'm hoping that he will come and see me on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. There is obviously a lot of passion about the chalk pit, I just hope I can find a way to channel it.
Monday, 10 August 2009
Event Dates
Please join me at the Chalk Pit to walk, talk, share ideas and even design your own play trail.
Friday 14 August 10am - 6pm
Saturday 15 August 9am - 6pm
Sunday 16 August 9am - 4pm
Friday 14 August 10am - 6pm
Saturday 15 August 9am - 6pm
Sunday 16 August 9am - 4pm
portsdown tunnels
How to (constructively) lose half a day. Bob Hunts Portsdown Tunnels website is well worth a visit, but be warned there is so much interesting information here you may be lost in the tunnels for quite a while. (see the 'links' section at the bottom of the right hand column to access the website)
Ecology
A big thank you to Richard Jones, the Portsdown Hill Countryside Officer, for giving me a tour of the Chalk Pit and enlightening me about the ecology of Chalk (Calcareous) Grassland, including an introduction to some of the iconic wildlife found at the chalk pit including great green bush crickets, grasshoppers, bumble bees, blue butterflies, stone chats, newts and various flowers such as greater knapweed, pyramidal orchids and dandelion imitators.
One thing that really stuck with me from our meeting was the description of this site as a 'stressful environment' with plant species having survive in nutrient poor soil. The concept of this as a 'natural' environment is particularly interesting in this highly managed site.
One thing that really stuck with me from our meeting was the description of this site as a 'stressful environment' with plant species having survive in nutrient poor soil. The concept of this as a 'natural' environment is particularly interesting in this highly managed site.
Friday, 7 August 2009
Thursday, 6 August 2009
First thoughts
Sandwiched between the Radars of Portsdown and the residential houses of Paulsgrove the white of the chalk cuts through a thin blanket of green on the surface.
The view from Safe Nafe’s garden on Rockrose Way is a wall of chalk rising into the sky, seen from another angle in Kris Kerkhofs depiction of the ‘White cliffs of Portsmouth.’ Looking closely there is a white van turning up Lime Grove, resisting the draw of a walk on the dusty path, and two figures on the edge of the green, at first glance people, taking the dog for a walk or just enjoying a stroll on a late summers afternoon, but on closer inspection they look like some kind of inanimate objects, a bin or a sign, the resolution isn’t good enough for me to tell.
My understanding of this place is courtesy of Google earth and occasional journeys down the M27. I can see a landscape built from removal, abandonment, growth, re-colonisation and new life. The wind, the butterflies and the smell of the sea.
The view from Safe Nafe’s garden on Rockrose Way is a wall of chalk rising into the sky, seen from another angle in Kris Kerkhofs depiction of the ‘White cliffs of Portsmouth.’ Looking closely there is a white van turning up Lime Grove, resisting the draw of a walk on the dusty path, and two figures on the edge of the green, at first glance people, taking the dog for a walk or just enjoying a stroll on a late summers afternoon, but on closer inspection they look like some kind of inanimate objects, a bin or a sign, the resolution isn’t good enough for me to tell.
My understanding of this place is courtesy of Google earth and occasional journeys down the M27. I can see a landscape built from removal, abandonment, growth, re-colonisation and new life. The wind, the butterflies and the smell of the sea.
The Site
The Site: Chalk Pit (Butterfly Drive) Paulsgrove, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK
(The artwork/Earthworks/Community works)
Paulsgrove Chalk Pit is a valuable site for wildlife and is adjacent to the Portsdown Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest. The aim of this commission is that we would like to get the local community onto the site, and for them to experience an artistic, interpretative play trail that helps children to learn about the area’s natural environment in a fun way whilst being sensitive to the area.
(taken from the artists brief)
(The artwork/Earthworks/Community works)
Paulsgrove Chalk Pit is a valuable site for wildlife and is adjacent to the Portsdown Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest. The aim of this commission is that we would like to get the local community onto the site, and for them to experience an artistic, interpretative play trail that helps children to learn about the area’s natural environment in a fun way whilst being sensitive to the area.
(taken from the artists brief)
Background
In 2008 Portsmouth City Council were awarded a grant of £ 2.5million as part of the Play Pathfinder to improve 28 play areas and build a new Adventure Playground.
Play Pathfinder is distinct from other play initiatives in that its aim, through this funding, is to design & equip play sites that encourage risk & challenge especially for 8 and 13 year olds. Getting away from the 'off-the-peg' play sites and instead designing 'equipment' that use natural materials and stimulate creativity. It is also about creating initiatives that begin to break down the barriers that children have in accessing their local environment as sites of play i.e. attitudes, road danger etc.
To facilitate the departure in thinking behind the design of Play Pathfinder play sites, the dcsf (department for children, schools and families) in partnership with Play England produced the guide to creating successful play spaces – ‘Design for Play.’
Included in this are: the 10 principles for designing successful play spaces – Successful play spaces…
• Are bespoke
• Are well located
• Make use of natural materials
• Provide a wide range of play experiences
• Are accessible to both disabled and non-disabled children
• Meet community needs
• Allow children of different ages to play together
• Build in opportunities to experience risk and challenge
• Are sustainable and appropriately maintained
• Allow for change and evolution
Play Pathfinder is distinct from other play initiatives in that its aim, through this funding, is to design & equip play sites that encourage risk & challenge especially for 8 and 13 year olds. Getting away from the 'off-the-peg' play sites and instead designing 'equipment' that use natural materials and stimulate creativity. It is also about creating initiatives that begin to break down the barriers that children have in accessing their local environment as sites of play i.e. attitudes, road danger etc.
To facilitate the departure in thinking behind the design of Play Pathfinder play sites, the dcsf (department for children, schools and families) in partnership with Play England produced the guide to creating successful play spaces – ‘Design for Play.’
Included in this are: the 10 principles for designing successful play spaces – Successful play spaces…
• Are bespoke
• Are well located
• Make use of natural materials
• Provide a wide range of play experiences
• Are accessible to both disabled and non-disabled children
• Meet community needs
• Allow children of different ages to play together
• Build in opportunities to experience risk and challenge
• Are sustainable and appropriately maintained
• Allow for change and evolution
Introduction
The aim of this blog is to document the creation of the 'Chalk Pit creative play trail' from concept to completion (and beyond). My hope is that this publication will give an insight into the creative process behind the decision making and encourage ongoing discussion throughout the design process.
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