The next PLAYWORKS workshop...

Motley Stories_03_04_2010

The Fantasy Atelier_13_03_2010

Workshop Introduction (in detail)

Playspaces & Playscapes

The aim of the introduction was to discuss and challenge traditional ideas about what a playspace or playscape could be, whilst encouraging children to think about real and imagined environments for play, how they could feel or what they could be made of. 

The aim of the workshop was to explore how play can be integrated into the fabric of the architecture through the medium of drawing and projecting, using the the existing environment of the ICA as a testbed.

The (powerpoint) introduction began with changing the name of the ICA to 'The Institute of PLAY/WORKS', as we were going to create a conceptual refurbishment of the existing building into a fantasy playscape for playing, discovering, pretending, climbing and relaxing, hiding, reading (the list goes on...)

We discussed a few examples of what a playspace could be, using examples showing inside/ outside, natural/ man made, preconceived and impromptu playspaces.

We asked the question 'what would you do in your playspace?' by discussing all the different things people were doing in this picture- climbing, staring, eating a scotch egg, doing make- up, chatting, jumping up and down on a see-saw... This was followed by asking the question 'what would you put in your playspace?'

We looked at Susan Hoffman Architects' interventions, at how they can have non-specific function, yet still encourage many different types of activity. They are look outs, dens, nooks, crawl spaces, hidey holes... When asked what the room in a house designed by AB Rogers (below) was, one child said it was a 'playroom' (not a bedroom as it was designed).

We then asked the question, "what could is be made of?", looking at building made of fabric, ice, trees and even clouds, such as Diller and Scofidio's Blur Buiding.

I then explained the format of the workshop: 

"We will be hijacking three spaces in the ICA by drawing over them to transform them into a fantastical playscape. Firstly, make an acetate collage from your ideas, secondly, project it onto a large poster of the room of your choice (the ICA cinema, theatre or cafe), and lastly draw our ideas together directly onto the larger poster by tracing the OHP projections."

The intention was that each time we changed the acetate collage over on the OHP- the person who created it had to explain to the others what they were thinking of when they were drew it, so they could draw it together.

Fantasy Atelier_13_03_2010

WORKSHOP PROPOSAL:

1.    Intro: Looking at Playspaces and Playscapes. 

Where and what can we play in and on? Fantasy Environments. Look at children's previous proposals from previous workshops & my own ideas, including how I created my 'storied projection drawing'.

2.    First exercise: Drawing propositions

Children draw with pens onto A4 acetate, tracing over photos of the interior and exterior of Carlton House terrace,  in order to transform it into a extra ordinary place to play (similar to play panorama from drawingPLAY workshop in November).

3.    Second exercise: Collaging ideas

Children can add collage elements from photos and images (photos of the ICA, dens from buildingPLAY workshop, the fandangos and the play panoramas from previous workshops etc.) that have been printed onto acetate before hand.

3.    Third exercise: Projecting & collaborating

Three poster-sized photos showing different interiors of the ICA will be on the wall in the theatre and then using 3 overhead projectors we will project the children's acetate collages and drawings onto the the photo posters.


The spaces we will be looking at:

ICA CINEMA

ICA CAFE

ICA THEATRE


 
In groups we will trace over them, directly on to the photo posters- creating new hybrid drawings, playing with the ICA's interiors through a sort of evanescent graffiti. For the older kids it may be about more realistic (yet fantastical) proposals and for the younger ones it may be about creating patterned and coloured worlds.

WARM UP:

A warm up activity as people arrive would be that one child draws a scribble and passes it to his friend who has to turn it into a drawing of something (a game I used to play with my dad). This would help them to get used to working over someone else's work, co-authorship and collaborative design. Similar to how architects have to pass their drawings to and from consultants, a process known as 'redlining'.  Also the nature of 'refurbishment' and working imaginatively within the constraints of an existing building.

OVERALL CONCEPT:

We will be overlaying the childrens' proposals from previous workshops onto my photos/ drawings of the interior of the ICA- transforming it into a 'playscape' or imaginative place to play, i.e. literally 'projecting' their ideas onto the spaces of the ICA to make new architecture conducive to play designed, drawn and imagined by the children collectively.

The idea for the workshop came from inspired by the cinematic concept of 'phantasmagoria' and early projection devices such as the magic lantern. I think it will be exciting because the projections will be very immersive and the results very unpredictable, the kids will be drawing with light and colour as well and pens- not something they could do at home.

The next PLAYWORKS workshop...

The Fantasy Atelier_13_03_2010