SOUTH HARROW - CREATIVE PLACEMAKING

PROPOSAL & DESIGNS

WETHESEEDS: CREATIVE ART AGENCY

“Connecting organisations with communities through powerful hand painted art marketing & management.” INTRODUCTION

We see art as an immensely positive force that can really make a difference in the daily life of residents. Innovative hand-painted art brings people together, empowers social unity and fuels a collaborative approach towards progress and development. A brand new and completely fresh visual identity can provide new landmarks and inspire both locals and tourists. They can create rich, memorable environments that have a meaning, thus serving a common purpose.

The physical integration of hand-painted murals into an environment offers many benefits. They provide a visual reference and talking point that increases foot traffic, character, and liveliness.

According to studies[1] high-quality, thoughtful street art invariably contributes to equitable development and societal progress. Planned intervention bridges the gap between art and public space and generates transformational experiences.

● High-quality murals strengthen the sense of community. We commission and manage community-inspired projects that embody unique characters and cultures whilst giving life to the vibrant local identity that brings people together.

● Hand-painted murals can offer directions, colour code and communicate important information whilst emphasising locality. A creative commission creates new and vibrant navigational markers and breathes life to areas in need of colour and energy. They can bring social value to a location, take the normal, and make it a thousand times more exciting.

● Murals signal freedom and diversity. More than anything, hand-painted murals radiate a diverse expression of freedom, creativity, and a sense of place that is respectful of all types of community groups and individuals.

● Street art always makes a powerful social statement. Street art is embedded within the fabric of social life and reflects the character of local communities. Calling them to action, it makes people stop, think, share and helps to reinforce empowering ideas.

● Colourful surroundings make life happier. Every person passing by a powerful mural feels alive, feels the beauty, the brightness and the essence of sharing and belonging. A high-quality mural inspires and motivates people. It reminds them that they belong and that life can be beautiful. A tangible visual reference that life within places doesn't have to be grey or empty.

SO WHY IS A HAND PAINTED MURAL PERFECT FOR SOUTH HARROW?

Because artists paint with their hearts and people sense this - no tricks, no flashy sales signs. Only a pure and honest human connection at its simplest and deepest form.

Our main aims for the South Harrow project are: ● To create an identity for South Harrow which lays a strong foundation for it’s future. ● Reflect local history, values and cultures as inclusively as possible. ● And lastly, provide a functional art piece that breaks the norms of purely aesthetic art. RESEARCH & CONTEXT

Firstly, it was important for us to understand South Harrow’s history to begin to create an identity for it’s present and future. With both of our designs we sourced information from local history books, online sources and testimonies from blog posts. We even got a chance to speak briefly with local traders.

Our key question was to understand what had happened in the past that had paved the way to make South Harrow the way that it is today and how can we support it’s communities development for future years ?

We imbedded relevant parts of the research phase into the foreword of each design below:

DESIGN 1 - A FOREWORD

Before the name of “South Harrow”, the hamlet of Roxeth was a very much peaceful agricultural village with fields and water meadows, filled with a buzzing community of Roxonians.

Even though Roxeth may not have had the spark of the modernization of the city, the community of Roxeth had their own lifestyle which was reflective of local values & no doubt had a “very real community life and spirit”[2] which was personified and accounted for throughout the 1900’s.

Some of these developments include:

● The Paddocks Sports ground, a converted farm which housed over 3000 people for entertainment activities. ● The Gas works on Northolt road. ● The Roxeth Marathon, photographed at Roxeth corner. ● The influences of the Harrow on the hill, the church and the spiritual community.

But most notably….. The London transportation industry had a major impact on Roxeth, which would in turn shape it’s future forever by bringing Roxeth closer to the metropolis of the city- thus increasing the number and importance of it’s contacts with the outside world.

This was through the running of the first electric train to a station named “South Harrow, for Roxeth & Northolt'' in 1903.[3]

The train company later dropped the last four words “For Roxeth & Northolt”, leaving the station to be officially named- “South Harrow”.

The influence of the train line didn’t just bring electric innovation- but carried with it the name of “South Harrow” which has made it’s way into the present day, replacing Roxeth’s “proud and ancient name”[2]

Roxeth may have had it’s name replaced by mere time, but it’s identity and history is still very much alive through books and photographs.

The railway company, now Transport for London, has in a sense, played a major part in the overall branding of South Harrow- which has remained current to this day.

Early arts-based media showed South Harrow and it’s neighbors to be a place of somewhere where you could escape the hustle and bustle of city life, for a location which boasted cleaner air and better living conditions.[4]

The most notable piece of media was a poster by Kate M Burrell in 1928. It features a woman in front of a countryside-style backdrop, alongside a bright color palette with the words “Cheap Return Fares Hounslow or South Harrow” The original poster can be found at the TFL museum depot in Acton.

As much as the past held important contextual references, our focus then shifted to look at the present,

One thing that stood out to us was the variety of cultures that not only made up South Harrow, but Harrow in general. According to data from the 2011 census, Harrow’s population is one of the most diverse nationally, with 69.1% of residents coming from minority ethnic groups.[6]

Throughout present time, these rich cultures have shared with South Harrow, adding to it’s identity in the present day and very much a part of shaping it’s identity for the future. In regards to Design 1:

We wanted to ensure that even though Roxeth was very much a small hamlet, it’s history was clearly identifiable and communicated in a way in which it wouldn’t be overlooked.

We wanted to capture the influence and impact left behind from the transport industry.

We wanted to celebrate and glorify the present day cultures, which have only added to the value behind South Harrow’s name.

And lastly, we wanted to create the start of a joyous identity to South Harrow’s future and reflect it’s beating heart in a way which will be embracing for both visitors and residents.

DESIGN 1 - “WE ARE SOUTH HARROW, SOUTH HARROW WE ARE” DESIGN 1 - (MOCK-UPS)

DESIGN 1 - (RAW)

South Harrow bridge design 1

Towards the high street (west) :

Away from the high street (east) : South Harrow flank wall design

Please note all design drafts and mock-ups are subject to alter when actually painted. Colours, sizes and shapes will change, but will be as true to the design draft as possible. There is no guarantee that the design draft and the final hand painted image will be a direct “lifelike” reflection of each other. WeTheSeeds Creative will, to the best of their ability, implement the design in reference to the design draft style as closely as possible. DESIGN 1 - A BREAKDOWN

Listed below are the key points surrounding the different elements which make up Design 1:

The rainbow visually communicates the idea of inclusiveness- also subtly hinting to positive “NHS” style references.

The idea of a rainbow will naturally attract organic influencer campaigns via selfie and photo opportunities.

The rainbow itself comes together to form a heart on the flank wall, reinvoicing the “we all have love for this place” concept.

The stripes of the rainbow and background are using the same colour palette as the South Harrow poster from the 1900’s, slightly adjusted to fit in with the present day. The “incomplete” rainbow draws pedestrians' eyes to the flank wall, allowing them to inquire into the rich history of Roxeth and consequently seeing “the end of the rainbow”. (playing on the pot of gold analogy).

At the end of the rainbow on the other side (also playing on the end of the rainbow/pot of gold analogy), the rainbow acts as a functional wayfinding piece to the market. Hand painted onto the ground, it will inspire pedestrians to take a stroll down it’s narrow alley, and help to view it as an “intriguing” yet safe journey.

The text itself is in the same font style as the South Harrow poster, modernised by adding a bright drop-shadow. The text stays true to the general theme of the design.

United within the rainbow, there are 5 symbols which represent the cultures of South Harrow:

Indian / Sri Lankan Kolam Kolam, also known as Muggu is a form of drawing that is drawn by using rice flour, chalk, chalk powder or rock powder, often using naturally or synthetically colored powders. Even though it originated in Tamil Nadu it has since spread to the other Indian states and even to other asian countries. Essentially a Kolam is a geometric line drawing composed of curved loops, drawn around a grid pattern of dots. One may have seen them in this country, drawn outside of asian family homes. The symbol represented here is a traditional style of the Kolam.

Eastern-European style pattern

The pattern is an inspired version from: “Fabric Design and Dress from Central and South-Eastern Europe”

The Celtic knot An age old pattern that has no start or finish and could be said to represent eternity- Sometimes taken as loyalty, faith, friendship or love. Only one line is used in each design which symbolizes how life and eternity are interconnected. African Adinkra symbol The Adinkra symbol set stems from mother Africa and is used extensively in fabrics, logos and pottery. They are incorporated into walls and other architectural features. The symbols have a decorative function but also represent objects that encapsulate messages that convey traditional wisdom, aspects of life or the environment. There are many different symbols with distinct meanings, often linked with proverbs. The symbol above is the symbol of knowledge, life-long education and continued quest for knowledge.

Generally- The symbols also “fade off” into the background colours when leaving the bridge site. Lastly the symbols are interchangeable within lines.

Subtle arrows in the background of each letter act as a functional direction of movement for traffic. This is also here to visually communicate the idea that even though one may be coming or going- they will be experiencing the rich, valid experience of South Harrow, even if it is for a moment.

Bridge underpainting of the hanging steel beams- to fit in with the house style of the works. The border of the bridge ties the bridge together to follow the same style as the poster of the 1900’s. The rainbow breaks past the border, as if to uprise from the identity left from the coining of the South Harrow name from the transportation industry.

The words “We are” which reside on the high street side, fit in with the overall theme and also a subtle nod to the current branding of Harrow’s Town Centre Business Improvement District. (pictured below):

On the advertising board side, we were conscious in creating a design which didn’t detract from the content of the board, therefore just the green and orange stripe will run down both sides, with the body filled with the same cream colour as the background of the bridge. A general theme to note is that on either side the orange and green colours change angle from the bridge to the angle of the ground level walls. The other colours continue “falling” to make up the rainbow shape.

The two colours drop down on either side followed by the rest of them slightly further down. The flank wall mural is composed to educate and visually depict the late 1800 and the 1900s as pivotal times in the creation of an established identity within South Harrow past. The illustration below breaks down the different features of the mural. The design is a collage to showcase it’s historical features and is not a “like-for-like” geographical piece mapping past locations.

Key:

1. Erected in 1931, Roxeth’s gas-holder dominated the local scene for over half a century. Although seen as a controversial “eye-sore”, the gas holder provided the area with gas-lit lighting. It was demolished completely in 1987. The gas holder was painted with a “NO” in large letters to identify nearby Northolt airport as a pilot once accidently put their plane down there thinking it was Heathrow. 2. Runners shown starting out at the Roxeth marathon- Adult entry. 3. 1933, ST type bus (114) outside Old South Harrow station. 4.Old South Harrow station on South Hill Avenue. 5. The new South Harrow station on Northolt road, built 1935. The station was built to high design standards at the time and won widespread acclaim from London’s transport architects. 6. Children enjoying the miniature Atlantic Railway at The Paddocks Sports Grounds. 7. Children outside The Paddocks Sports Ground. 8. The Paddocks Sports ground (former Grove Dairy Farm, Northolt Road) was a popular venue for Sunday school treats and children's outings. As many as 3000 visitors could be accommodated on busy days hosting donkey rides, fairground attractions and afternoon tea. The grounds were run by Mr A.B Champniss and his gift allowed it for today to be known as part of Alexandra Park. 9. “Roxeth” written in a font which was handwritten on top of an old photograph of Northolt road. 10. A woman strolling the grounds of The Paddocks. 11. Christ Church, Roxeth. Roxeth’s first Alglican church. Built by Sir George Gilbert Scott, who also designed Vaughan Library at Harrow school. The Illustration pictured here is the one used for many years on the parish magazine. 12. Artist’s representation of the hill leading up to Harrow on the Hill from Roxeth corner. 13. Style of houses in the area in the 1900s. 14. Skyline of harrow on the hill pervading Roxeth, along with the prominent church and steeple. DESIGN 2 - A FOREWORD

This mural encompasses past history and touches more on the present, “collective unity” alongside the local trade in the area.

The flank wall mural uses a mixture of typography, bespoke illustration and bold graphics to create a design that our research has shown to be “core-building-blocks” of South Harrow.

We wanted to create a mural design that would initially be striking and bold and act as a piece that would resonate with “modern values”.

The ‘SMILE’ typography is in a bold font and acts as an uplifting message that will encourage people to do just that.

The ‘South Harrow’ calligraphy text is custom made in a style that keeps the overall design present yet enduring.

Behind the text, the flank wall mural consists of 8 bespoke square blocks that have been created to showcase some of the key points of the area and 2 also act as wayfinding pieces.

The square blocks focus on the key points below:

● Diversity ● Community ● History ● Transport ● Local traders ● Wayfinding

We wanted to create a more modern, encompassing and constructively unified design, inspired by the collective unity the community has shown at times where they’ve had to adapt to a habitat of industrial changes.

DESIGN 2 - “Smile South Harrow” DESIGN 2 - (MOCK-UPS)

DESIGN 2 - (RAW)

South Harrow bridge design

Towards the high street (west) :

Away from the high street (east):

Please note all design drafts and mock-ups are subject to alter when actually painted. Colours, sizes and shapes will change, but will be as true to the design draft as possible. There is no guarantee that the design draft and the final hand painted image will be a direct “lifelike” reflection of each other. WeTheSeeds Creative will, to the best of their ability, implement the design in reference to the design draft style as closely as possible. DESIGN 2- A BREAKDOWN

Just like the previous design, the “diversity square” shows the collection of cultures placed side by side with identifiable symbology.

The “History square” showcases transport from the past like this Loumax 18 seater bus which used to be driven in the 1930's and the miniature train from Paddocks Sports Ground. The style of this square remains true to the Roxeth reference photographs yet incorporated within a more modern style.

The “community square” has been communicated in a “gen-z-digitalisted” style, shows the adaption to digital-norms yet unified through shapes, patterns and interaction.

The “Underground” square reinforces the influence of the railway from a modern approach and subtly visually communicates the South Harrow station stop with the ‘X’. The modernised illustration above showcases the “landscape” square which incorporates the buildings and architecture of current South Harrow mixed in with the old. This has been referenced by buildings from both the past and present like the tube station and local shops on the lower levels.

The “food for all” piece showcases the life given by the local traders, displaying a plentiful harvest of a variety of fruits and vegetables.

The last two square blocks act as a functional wayfinding tool to both the market, high street and Harrow Town Centre. This is topped off with a modern pattern to fit in with the house style of the rest of the blocks. The bridge follows the same house style but is more minimalistic in it’s approach, with the combined aim to draw attention to the symbolism and messages on the flank wall yet communicate a powerful, bold and eye catching “welcoming” message.

On the opposite side facing the stretch of the high street, we see the bold words “We are”. Not only does this also reference the branding of the Harrow Town Centre BID, but a powerful message not to be forgotten for those leaving Harrow. The border of the bridge is in a “Piccadilly line” colour, which glorifies the text and is structured in a way as if almost to point a nod at the transport influence through the early media.

The underpainting of the bridge follows the same house style’s colour palette. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE: Case study: Wealdstone - Harrow Council “Welcome to Wealdstone” design and hand painted mural creation.

Location: 1 high street, Wealdstone, Harrow, HA3 5DB Sizes: 11 x 10m flank wall Materials used: Acrylic paint, anti-graffiti sealant Equipment used to erect/display the mural: Ladders Stakeholders engaged: Wealdstone traders association, local school consulting, high street consultation, Harrow council’s economic development team. Timeframes: 7 days installation time with no disruption to pedestrian or road traffic.

The project set out to design and hand paint a mural for the local area of Wealdstone, London that was reflective of the local area and community values. Before photo:

WeTheSeeds Creative sourced, screened and briefed applicable nationwide artists (+ young people from local schools) to come together to hand paint the Wealdstone “Welcome” mural and was on hand to project manage throughout the entire process. Our social media team filmed content on-site to implement the social strategy that ran alongside the creation of the mural- bringing the positive community dialog online. After photos:

Reading and photos: https://www.wetheseeds.co.uk/services/harrow-council-wealdstone-welcome-mural

Further references upon request SITE VISIT & ASSESSMENT:

We have conducted an initial site visit with the Harrow Council team. Upon project confirmation we will conduct a further site visit to provide a risk and method statement.

WHY WETHESEEDS:

We’re more than just creators of art in the public realm. We are your partners in creating happy places.

We created WeTheSeeds to provide organisations with a holistic approach to engaging communities and delivering artwork that makes an impact. We are a creative and scalable resource that helps you give locals the opportunity to shape their future.

Together we create a shared vision for public spaces and add value through innovative and functional artwork.

Art in the public realm enhances every development as it enables an active and creative collaboration between organisations, artists, and the local community.

So why work with us?

● We're a flexible artist agency that acts as a branch of your organisation. We can scale up or down according to your objectives. Our services can range from painting a mural to organising art events with 3rd party art-based talents such as street dancers & photographers.

● We are not fixed to an in-house art team- we save you valuable time and resources as we collaborate with a broad spectrum of freelance artists. We source, screen and brief the right artists with a promise to only provide artists who work with styles that will communicate the right ideas and values for your project.

● We always offer a service backed by a socially conscious strategy that meets the needs of the community. Our artistic knowledge, paired with our branding expertise, allows us to be mindful of your broader business targets, key challenges, and goals.

● We always offer a 100% bespoke service. Our award-winning systems and procedures can guarantee a smooth and efficient service, managing even the most intricate workflows from planning to execution.

WeTheSeeds are your full-service partners in empathising with the community and delivering high quality artwork that makes a long lasting impact. FINAL WORD:

For this project we will utilize local artistic talents where possible, alongside providing filmed, edited and formatted social media content on behalf of our client to use as promotion over their own media channels- This includes: ● 1x installation video ● 1x showcase video

Both formatted for multiple channels upon request.

“We are extremely excited to potentially be a part of not just the “South Harrow project”, but in fact a prime piece of South Harrow’s history. We believe that our public realm creative commission will help empathise, inspire and support both residents and visitors of South Harrow. Our designs act as a functional piece of art, one that is vibrant and creative, yet spreads a positive message as a placemaking tool to onlookers. Going back to our initial intentions, it was important for us to create designs which nurtured the history of the once small hamlet of Roxeth so that the next generation do not feel left in the dark. Our work will act as a vibrant place-maker which will aid the re-shaping and re-branding of both South Harrow and Harrow as a brougher, to attract new residents and tourists, boosting local economies and unlocking value within people. We have produced these designs with the community in mind and look forward to reflecting the beating heart that is South Harrow for many more years to come.”

NOTE: All our practices comply fully with the latest COVID guidelines in accordance with government regulations. REFERENCES

[1] https://www.policylink.org/sites/default/files/summary_arts_culture_equitable-dev.pdf [2] The story of roxeth, T.L Bartlett (book) [3] Roxeth remembered, Roxeth Research group (book) [4] A history of Roxeth, Harrow library service (book) [5] https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/collections-online/posters/item/1983-4-1351 [6]https://www2.harrow.gov.uk/documents/s126920/Background%20Paper%20-%20Harrow%20LA- CCG%20Population%20Audit%20Report.pdf *https://www.skyjack.com/sites/default/files/specifications/ENEU-SJ6826-32RT_0.pdf

Some images from this proposal are sourced from the book: 'Images of Harrow' - Brian Girling

Thank you for reading- we look forward to hearing your feedback.