The idea
A beautiful and playful structure will weave through Angel Alley on Whitechapel High Street creating a long bookshelf that contains a book exchange, a curated library, seating and planters. LITERALLEY re-imagines our relationship with the High Street - connecting diverse communities within a neighbourhood.
LITERALLEY emerges out of an innovative collaboration between Whitechapel Gallery, Providence Row, Freedom Press and the local landscape architects, Wayward. LITERALLEY will be built through Providence Row’s carpentry and gardening programs, and volunteers from the local area, creating an enchanting public library with green pockets that activates the high street. Local businesses, residents and community organisations will be invited to co-curate the library with Whitechapel Gallery, representing the diverse interests of the community. LITERALLEY will present itself as a new space for community outreach programmes, skill-share workshops, educational programming and public art.
What we'll deliver
- Carry out workshops in design, gardening, horticulture, textiles and carpentry in collaboration with Providence Row.
- Design a new high street entrance to the Alley, activating its presence on Whitechapel High Street.
- Design and build an interactive book shelf that holds books and forms seating, desks and planters.
- Install permanent improvements to deter antisocial behaviour and improve aesthetics of the space.
- Transform alley into a cared for pedestrian friendly, public space that promotes community connectivity and civic pride.
- Build a raised platform for programmed public events, debate and discussion about the high street.
- Build planters to house greenery and cultivate a shade garden maintained by local homeless charity, Providence Row.
- Create an education-focused space that uses urban space more efficiently by hosting a book exchange.
Why it's a great idea
LITERALLEY maximizes the potential for alleys as open space resources and neighbourhood connectors. Establishing a new attraction on the high street, LITERALLEY supports local businesses and creates a safe, people-orientated passageway that celebrates community exchange of ideas and stories on the high street through a unique urban setting.
LITERALLEY has the potential to be transformative, not only for the space but for people too. Workshops in carpentry, gardening and horticulture during the build of the project will complement Provide Row’s current schemes. This project will provide Providence Row’s sheltered homeless community and local volunteers with more skills for future employment in a social environment that fosters well-being and connection. LITERALLEY will present a new cultural, and social environment for learning and exchange, representing the diverse ideas, politics, stories, histories, cultural identities and memories of the high street community through books.
Steps to get it done
- Providence Row are the recipients of donations for materials, supplies and other in-kind support.
- Providence Row has a skill building carpentry programme, facilitating the build of the bookshelf and planters.
- Providence Row's role includes maintenance and upkeep, nurturing the alley as part of their gardening apprenticeship.
- Whitechapel Gallery will assume roles of support, consultancy, communications and promotion, and also maintain the site.
- Whitechapel Gallery will get involved with their education, community outreach and young curator’s programmes.
- Whitechapel Gallery will support the project and facilitate relationships through its strategic outreach team.
- Wayward runs large scale community builds, teaching volunteers skills in carpentry and gardening.
- Wayward will facilitate negotiations of property ownerships. Master plan the alley and rearrange car park and bins.
- Wayward will facilitate workshops in: construction, design and development, urban planting, horticulture.
- Wayward's roles: design and development, project management, workshops, fostering and maintaining partnerships.
Local organisations, residents and businesses will be invited to co-curate the library through a community outreach campaign. Other links built in the local area include East London Mosque, Toynbee Hall, and Cass School of Art. The books will be a mixture of donations and small grants to represent the interests, cultures, stories, beliefs and histories of the local high street community. The project will also open up an important connection between Whitechapel High Street and Wentworth Street, with the potential of opening up a link with Osborne Street as well.
