London, GB
Engaging young minds in the local history
Woolwich schoolchildren are using their local legacy as inspiration for a new work of art to be installed outside their new Elizabeth line station at Woolwich.
On Friday 4th November WestonWilliamson+Partners, the lead architects behind the new station at Woolwich, and the Mayor of Greenwich awarded 25 schoolchildren from Heronsgate Primary School and Bannockburn Primary School in Woolwich, with first prize for the Woolwich Elizabeth line community art competition at an event at the beautiful town hall. Pupils from two schools, their teachers and families shared their joy and enthusiasm with the project partners, local charities and businesses all of whom were on the judging panel.
“The site on which Elizabeth Line station sits in Woolwich is steeped in history, hence our initiative to galvanise local interest through a community project in order to instil civic pride in the urban realm. The story of the ‘Dead Man’s Pennies’ is heart-breaking and as such, bound to generate a compelling installation.” Chris Williamson, Founding Partner at WestonWilliamson+Partners
In the run up to the opening of the Elizabeth line station at Woolwich in 2018, the station’s architects* have taken the opportunity to engage with the local community through a creative project centred on the wealth of the local history (mainly the celebrated Woolwich Arsenal), from the 17th century through to WW1.
The opening of this brand new station auspiciously coincides with the centenary of the signing of the WW1 Armistice. The community project, launched late last year, consists in working with pupils from local schools to create a totem that will stand outside the new station.
The design statement of the station façade has been devised to reference ‘Memorial Plaques’; bronze coins forged in the nearby Royal Arsenal that were issued to the next of kin of servicemen and women who died during WW1. **Originally, a competition was organised in 1917 for the design of the coins, the winning plaques of which were exhibited at the Victoria & Albert Museum at the time.
Based on this meaningful legacy, Weston Williamson+Partners have involved students in the creative process by asking them to design their own plaques, ones which reflect their personal connection with their local area. The best designs aim to be assembled into a public artwork to sit outside the station in the surrounding urban realm.
Megan Ancliffe, Crossrail Lead Architect for Woolwich station, said: “The new station has been designed very carefully to reflect the amazing heritage and history of the local area, and I’m delighted that these school children who will go on to use new railway are helping us to tell this important story”.
The children’s design awards event was a way to celebrate the rich local community life and history and to create an exemplar for close collaboration between the local public and private bodies in illustrating their cultural legacy.
**http://www.greatwar.co.uk/memorials/memorial-plaque.htm
Details of the Award:
Children’s Design Award with Judging Panel, presided by Mayor of Greenwich, 25 designs chosen from 100 submitted
Children’s designs were from Heronsgate Primary School and Bannockburn Primary School in Woolwich.
Award judging panel:
Ends
For more information please contact Anousheh Barbezieux-PR and Communications on 07960722352 or anousheh.barbezieux@westonwilliamson.com
Notes to the Editors:
About Crossrail
The route will pass through 40 stations from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new twin-bore 21km tunnels to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. The Transport for London (TfL) run railway will be named the Elizabeth line when services through central London open in December 2018. The Crossrail project is being delivered by Crossrail Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of TfL, and is jointly sponsored by the Department for Transport and TfL.
About Weston Williamson and Partners
Working on the design of the Elizabeth line station in Woolwich, led by award-winning architect Rob Naybour, WW+P architects Hena Akbar and Will Riley are the initiators of the Woolwich station community project working with Crossrail, the local authority, local partners and sponsors.
Founded in 1985, London-based Weston Williamson+Partners, the leading UK architectural practice in transport, employs over 100 people. Our specialist knowledge and design experience, built over 30 years, enables us to provide thoughtful, well-integrated and considered solutions. Our clients include Crossrail, London Underground Limited, HS2, Crossrail 2, and Docklands Light Railway along with many residential and mixed use Clients.
Our people are our most valuable asset and we nurture and reward creative thinking in each member of staff.
“We aim to make the world a better place through all that we design and the relationships we have with our co-workers, clients and partners.”
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