We’re thrilled to announce we have been shortlisted for the LFA 2023 ‘People at the Centre of Brixton’ design competition launched earlier this year in partnership with Lambeth Council and Brixton Business Improvement District (BID). This competition invited proposals for an intervention at two key public spaces in the centre of Brixton: Atlantic Road and Windrush Square.
Prospective applicants were asked to re-imagine these key sites, testing alternative scenarios that will improve the experience of businesses, residents and visitors to Brixton, as well as propose solutions for how these common spaces could be used and inhabited in the future, becoming open, safe and accessible to all. Though temporary, this competition is rooted in an eagerness to improve the pedestrian experience in Brixton.
The judges looked for proposals that tested solutions which have potential to influence the future, while also considering Brixton’s rich cultural and historical past; home to the Windrush Generation, the Uprising in 1981, radical thinkers and activities which have shaped generations.
We have formed a collaborative and multidisciplinary team for this competition, with Brixton-based set designers, The Looney Studio, and Brixton-based music entertainment company, Cloud X. The team collectively values collaborative practice and local engagement to produce authentic and tailored outcomes.
Leading our team is Johannah Fening, an Architect and Social Value Coordinator who is enthusiastic about inclusive urban developments in the public and private sector. Together with Silvia-Raisa Simeria, an Architectural Designer and Visualiser, she will work alongside the founding directors of the studio, Stephen Proctor (a long-time resident of Brixton) and Andrew Matthews. The studio’s extensive portfolio of completed projects derives from focused studies into cultural and historic contexts and identity.
The Looney Studio is a set design and build company co-founded by Sofia Sacomani and Jasper Levine. The studio designs, manages, and produces large-scale sets and installations for clients such as LVMH, Google, Warner Music, Netflix, BBC, BFI and many more. Sofia’s knowledge of design processes and her creative eye combined with Jasper’s expertise in technical planning and execution make the perfect duo.
Cloud X, co-founded by David Dabieh, is an international music entertainment company built around a Brixton-based record label and recording studio. Set up by LGBT & POC founders, they platform exceptional artists and develop their genius. They are committed to being diverse, inclusive & progressive.
We are excited about the prospect of delivering an engaging intervention in Brixton, with Brixton and for Brixton. Our team collectively values collaborative practice and local involvement in producing authentic outcomes and this competition is an opportunity to do just that.
