RIBA Forgotten Spaces.

Although I studied theatre design, I've rarely worked within theatre and have had better success outside of conventional theatre, using multi-media. My skills are directed towards realising performance scenarios within unexpected places. I enjoy this way of working more than working in a black box. It's exciting to incorporate everyday spaces, their history and explore expressing ideas across different disciplines.
I entered an architecture competition in partnership with an architect a month ago which involved looking at forgotten spaces within London and suggesting innovative solutions. I have just learnt that the project we submitted has been shortlisted for the main prize and will be exhibited at the National Theatre in May and June.
This particular project looked at bringing a forgotten 18th century Orangery back to life. The building sits in the middle of a 1950's council estate in Clapham. These two forms of architecture both exemplify the idealism of their time: the picturesque and modernism. We researched the origins of the Orangery and gardens as a place of entertainment, a theatrical space and a place where food was ornamentally grown.
This informed our proposal for 'Visions for Utopia': a hybrid of performance space and community garden with its roots in the 18th century and its future in the modern urban agriculture movement 'Growing Power'.