BSP students exhibit urban design projects for “Reimagining the Holloway Prison Site”

The first event was hosted by Islington Council, and comprised an exhibition and presentation of the projects with a panel of discussants led by Executive Member for Housing Diarmaid Ward and Head of Planning Sakiba Gurda. The event was well attended by residents, planners and local political leaders. The second event was hosted by a member of the Community Plan for Holloway executive, at the St George’s Church in which most Holloway Site campaign events take place, and provided an opportunity for an in-depth presentation and discussion of a selection of projects.

On both occasions, a panel of specialists and an audience of community members and activists engaged each student group with critical questions, reflecting both the standards laid out in the council’s SPD and diverse residents’ experiences and priorities. Alongside the students’ own learning outcomes, the event also fulfilled the objective of informing the community of the site’s potential, ahead of the consultation process that Islington Council is preparing.

The two events were organised by Dr. Juliana Martins (module coordinator), Omar Sherif (co-convenor of the Architects and Planners Group of the Community Plan for Holloway), and a group of students who prepared the posters and a booklet. The collaboration between the module and the Community Plan group is part of a teaching approach that promotes students’ engagement with local communities in London. The students’ projects were highly commended by the audience. The convenors designed feedback channels which will be used to enhance next year’s teaching of the same module and case study.