PROJECT DESCRIPTION - City of London, UK looks to the boundaries of architecture to bridge social gaps by providing a unique yet simple ‘scaffold’ from which to build local community involvement, discussion and connection; to begin to knit together a story of their space. The COMMUNITY SCAFFOLD will be constructed with the durable and versatile Kee Klamp system. Ths ‘Scaffold’ provides a basis for creating a unique, cost effective and sustainable intervention which together with a series of stewards selected by LFA & our team may program, care for & build a beautiful community through this ubiquitous architectural form.

Local gardeners, crafters, makers, authors, illustrators, designers, architects, public institutions & vendors will be invited to participate and utilize the space in the aim to bring together people who may not otherwise cross paths in their busy daily routine or social circles.

The COMMUNITY SCAFFOLD provides a refuge within a transparent but lush garden with large planters filled with plants capable of withstanding urban conditions amidst locally fabricated fixed furnishings, a little library, & a series of hanging planters further creating a calm oasis in which the community may gather. A community chalkboard & social media presence will be used to follow what people like, inform them of events & provide the LFA with ongoing feeds of data on whats happening @COMMUNITYSCAFFOLDLONDON.

All items (excluding the Kee Klamp system, a british made scaffold & building kit) within the parklet would be stewarded by different local groups who either have a hand in making, or maintaining them. The initial funding from the London Festival of Architecture will provide the foundational elements for the COMMUNITY SCAFFOLD. Additional crowdsourced fundraising will be done through the purchase of all elements of the parklet. This may include high bid items such as the scaffold, or a bespoke locally crafted wood bench to low cost items such as a terra cotta pot for a fiver. This will help to fund the ambitious programming of the site for the residents, visitors & people who work in the City of London.

Above all, COMMUNITY SCAFFOLD is an armature for community connection with an eye for revealing the local context & story of a space that may otherwise go unnoticed. Its ambition lies not simply in creating a object, but a community that will thrive after this temporary scaffold has been removed.

ROLE- Lead Design, Lead engineering coordination, Lead community outreach & marketing.

FIRM/TEAM- FS Studio/ Alec Hawley, Sehgyung Kang, Tyler Hanson of THBW

SCALE- .25 acres

LOCATION- City of London, UK

YEAR- 2019

CLIENT: London Festival of Architecture, Simplified Building.

COMPLETION: ongoing