MESSAGE from EUDAIMON, the only local option of the three submitted designs for the Corner Site…
Stokes Croft at a critical juncture. Affirmative Action Required
Along with the power we have in collectively in saying what we don’t want we must also use that force to affirm what we want. Clearly the community here in Stokes Croft & beyond are inflamed by the possible encroachment of Tescos at the old Jesters site. We must demand our rights to much greater levels of local decision making & democracy.
There are also possible developments at the other end of Stokes Croft – on the corner site of City Road/Stokes Croft. Bristol City Council are holding a public vote which decides which of 3 designs will be commissioned with money from the public purse. There is only one local design team left in the process. That being us, Eudaimon, who are based at Coexist in Hamilton House.
We are holding a warm-up meeting before the Tescos meeting at the same space for anyone with stamina for two meetings in one day:
Welcome at 6pm for 6:10pm start – Monday 8th Feb at The Event Space, Hamilton House (above The Canteen)
This meeting is specifically to raise awareness of our design proposal for those who live and work in the area & to express the deeper ideas behind our design. A design that centres on working within the community to create a space for the community. We have worked very closely in the design process with local people & organisations and for that there is great potential in our design for ongoing local input & ideas.
The is critical to ensuring that Stokes Croft continues to develop positively along local lines.
It is a rare opportunity for us to use local democracy to let the Council know how we want the area to develop. We can use a strong majority to express positive protest at Tescos & BCC.
Vote at NICHE FRAMES or at the ARCHITECTURE CENTRE 10th-22nd FEBRUARY
We will be speaking at the formal presentation along with the other design-teams. This will be an altogether more formal affair. But it is an opportunity for anyone to ask questions to the other design teams before they head back to London or offer support! All welcome.
6-8pm Tuesday 9th Feb at Broadmead Baptist Church
Thank you for reading & please come to any of the meetings or votes in the next few days. Viva la renaissance de Stokes Croft!
Robert & Jak
Eudaimon @ Coexist,
Hamilton House
Any Queries: email hidden; JavaScript is required
Reminder of Events
1. 6pm Mon 8th Event Space, Hamilton House
2. 6-8pm Tues 9th Broadmead Baptist Church
3. 10th-22nd Voting at Niche Frames & Architecture Centre
right then …..
just because a design is submitted by a local company, does not mean it is necessarily better… the minimum amount of research into eudaimon does not bode well: http://www.project-eudaimon.eu
i sincerely hope prsc does not give unconditional support to this group merely because they are based in hamilton house – a local design does not automatically mean a better design and in the strength of what i have seen, these people seem like chancers.
I agree with you that just because a design has been submitted by a local company, this does not mean that it is necessarily better. However, there are great benefits for the local area if local residents get to implement their designs. Local expertise is vital to the growth of this area, and local involvement in the design and fabrication of local spaces is inherently empowering. It would be unfair to prejudge the three designs, but it is not unreasonable to highlight the many advantages that the adoption of a local design would bring. I guess we will have a clearer idea after the presentations…
Cabot Circus sports a frieze entitled “The Bristol Daisy”. It was designed and maufactured in Glasgow.
Its obvious these guys are trying to influence peoples opinion prior to the public vote – prob they’re worried about the competition if they need to rally support before hand. This undermines a democratic process which should be about selecting the best design for the site and the community.
It’s well worth checking out their design though: apparently it includes a vertical garden, art display area, water fountain and free bike pump! Sounds amazing to me. Apparently vertical gardens are a brilliant way to encourage greenery back into urban areas. Check out all three and decide for youselves of course. Spread the word!
I like this one because it has useful things like the bike pump and water fountain.
Not sure how east the vertical garden would be to maintain, but it looks rather fabulous.
Note: I am not officially affiliated with Project Eudaimon, I do however know those involved and their projects (as I have been following their work with my camera).
Just because they’re local doesn’t mean anyone is or should choose them over the other candidates. However, I was at the public presentation and can tell you which of the three I feel is “most” suited to the community of Stokes Croft (Project Eudaimon). Further, as they’re local they have; a much better understanding of the community, a larger stake in the outcome (can you imagine what the local response would be if it was crap and it was chosen?) and there will surely be a little bit more pride in demonstrating what they can do to the locals than the non-Bristol options. However, choosing the preferred option is something that each individual will need to do after actually viewing the options themselves.
As for the rallying of public support undermining the democratic process… What world are you living in? Since when has getting the message out to the masses that they have a choice (and would you be so kind as to vote for me) been undemocratic? Maybe you need to look at general politics a little more deeply. When people have a choice, that choice is worthless if they aren’t informed.
As Arvind says, go and check the designs out for yourself and make an informed decision rather than basing your decision on the ravings of Intraweb loonies like myself.