Decay Theme

Localising Material Accessibility During my initial walk through the High Street of Dudley, I noticed an inevitable decline in the area. There were vacant shops, but those open had apparent facade damage. For the area to thrive, there needs to be an aesthetical uplift. Here I began to question how to make the repairs. On the one hand, one could complete a like for like repair with a deep clean to provide a new lease of life to achieve an aesthetical value. Alternatively, the repairs could be a status of where the street aims to be in the future. To achieve a statement, the implementation of repair work needs to stand out. It needs to be futuristic, a bold contrast to the existing. At this point, I decided that after being informed of the damage the built environment has on the climate crisis, only carbon zero/ carbon sequestering materials would be present during repairs. This does not aim to destroy existing buildings but instead carefully implement repairs creating a patchwork effect across the street. This would then grow over time as more repair work is required. Over time, the high street would transform into a zero-carbon environment. The manufacturing and growth of these materials need to be local, so consideration is vital. This provides an opportunity for the site to be a material producer itself.

Diagram Map Aesthetic Architecture Biodiversity Change Climate Community Connection Creatures Decay Doughnut Future Growing Identity Imagination Industry Material Nature Opportunity Pollution Potential Regenerative Sustainable System Transport

Aesthetics of decay, worn-out remnants, decline post-industrial. Beautiful ruins. Fragments of the past.

Text Cloudy Damp Mild Aesthetic Beauty Broken Care Decay Material Past

Social issues present ... between the two ends of the High Street, one recently improved in terms of materials, recreational areas and spaces for sitting, the other remains in disrepair and is heavily trafficked with completely transitional movement, lack of stopping and communication.

Collage Actions Care Curiosity Decay Emotion Future Imagination People

Building Deterioration There was a familiar aesthetic regarding the buildings during the initial site visit to Dudley High Street. However, a large proportion of the façades that look onto the street have noticeable damage, graffiti or structural issues. With that said, these images (right) are an insight into some of the damage. If the local authorities saw the high street as a priority, then damages and aesthetics would have been resolved and fixed. However, as there are multiple damages, this assumes that this high street is not one authority wish to preserve. That said, this opens an opportunity. Instead of being a conservationist and repairing these buildings to their former glory, why not make them a statement piece within the high street. Possibly by placing a blanket ban on all of the current materials seen on the street. Instead, any repairs must be in Zero carbon / Carbon negative materials. This could then become an educational street with great architectural character. Both combined may increase the high streets footfall. The first step would be to highlight any listed buildings or monuments within the high street.

Photo Aesthetic Architecture Broken Climate Decay Learning Material Opportunity Past Potential Sustainable

Rotten wooden wall

Text Pouring Rainy Broken Care Decay Material

Ferns growing in the drain pipe

Text Cool Overcast Care Control Decay Growing Nature Plantlife

Abandoned cafe, broken furniture, hanging wires

Text Cool Overcast Broken Decay Ownership Unused Waste

Exposed brickwork where tiles have fallen off

Text Cool Overcast Architecture Broken Care Decay Material

Old cinema - lack of culture - pigeon's world

Text Creatures Culture Decay Old

Buddleia and ferns growing in the guttering reaching for the sky

Text Cool Overcast Beauty Care Control Decay Growing High Nature Plantlife

Graveyard - decaying bodies, amongst ivy, holly, ragwort. Faded flowers, pile of broken stones

Text Cool Overcast Care Decay Growing Material Memory Nature Old Past Plantlife

Some good 18 + 19C facades but in poor condition

Drawing Text Cloudy Aesthetic Architecture Beauty Broken Care Control Decay Identity Old Past Tiredness

There is a clear presence representing Dudley with the bold red ‘Bostin’ sign at ground level. Chosen for its cantilever first and the second floor, this building could be adapted to have an external space. Also, there is a slight ‘hotel Fouquet barrière’ about the facade as its bricked-up windows represent change over time.

Model Photo Aesthetic Architecture Broken Climate Craft Decay Making Material Opportunity Potential Words

Broken windows blacked out

Text Cool Overcast Boundaries Broken Care Control Decay

Nature thriving through the cracks

Text Rainy Aesthetic Beauty Decay Growing Life Nature Plantlife Tiny Things

Rusty streaks running down the wall

Text Cool Overcast Control Decay Water

Infrastructure - cladding falling off?

Text Broken Decay Material

Old shop sign

Text Pouring Rainy Decay High Old Words

Layers of rotten board + weeds

Text Cool Overcast Care Control Decay Growing Material Nature Numbers Plantlife Unused Words

Small tree growing next to wall, high up

Text Cool Overcast Care Control Decay Growing High Nature Plantlife

Unused shop, spray painted numbers

Text Cool Overcast Decay Material Numbers Unused Words

Grime streaked windows

Text Cool Overcast Care Decay Material

Time waits for nothing... eco-system / interconnectedness / sonification / patterns / systems / vocalisation / chance / cause & effect

Text Chance Connection Decay Nature Pattern Sounds System Voice

Here's some stuff in a locked yard (that just happened to be open) down Wolverhampton Street. There are what look like two chapels in there.

Photo Access Architecture Boundaries Broken Care Chance Craft Curiosity Decay Exposed Hiding Material Old Opportunity Overlooked Ownership Past Shelter Unfamiliar Weathered

Rubble + stone

Drawing Text Overcast Broken Decay Material Old Waste Weathered

Faded, peeling shop signs, grey, blue + red

Text Cool Overcast Care Colour Control Decay Water Words

Empty shop

Text Care Decay Unused

Water pouring from broken downpipe

Text Cool Overcast Broken Care Control Decay High Missing Water

There are ghosts here so I am told... Exposed, weathered concrete

Text Cool Overcast Architecture Care Decay Exposed Material Past Stories Weathered

[What do you notice if you imagine you are a worm / a bird / somebody else?] weed under bench, rusting lamppost, vehicles, business

Text Cold Foggy Decay Growing Hiding Nature Plantlife Shelter Vehicle Views Weathered

YOW AM / DUDLEY Signs

Text Pouring Rainy Broken Care Decay Words

Waste of space? Building in decay. Timber, signage, falling apart.

Drawing Text Overcast Architecture Care Connection Decay Material Stories Unused Waste Words

Bostin building - Decay of commerce - quality of life.

Text Consumption Decay Life

Faded paint on strandboard

Text Cool Overcast Care Colour Control Decay Material

"The Co-operative store at the top of Dudley High Street in 1969"

Photo Care Commerce Consumption Decay Memory Old Past

Peeling paint on beautiful old windows

Text Cool Overcast Aesthetic Architecture Beauty Care Control Decay Material Old Past

Street scale patchwork Investigating Facade Damage will highlight where the repair needs to be undertaken. It is creating an irregular pattern of repair that evolves. Only intervene when necessary; this proposal will not ‘repair what does not need fixing’ as it appreciates there could be a negative effect on an already declining high street. Repairs will be constructed with the materials grown on the street as part of the Macro-scale intervention.

Diagram Drawing Imagining Photo Text Textile Aesthetic Architecture Broken Care Change Climate Decay Growing Imagination Material Nature Opportunity Pattern Plantlife Potential Regenerative Repair Sustainable Unused

Rotten window frames, cracked plaster

Text Cool Overcast Broken Care Decay Material

Decaying paint / wall above shops

Text Pouring Rainy Care Change Decay High Material

Broken tile edge

Drawing Text Might rain later Broken Care Decay Material Tiny Things

lack of responsibility - Rubbish / mattress. Door

Text Care Decay

Mossy algae on wall below the windows

Text Cool Overcast Control Decay Growing Nature Plantlife

Explore The History Of Site Voids - This will provide an opportunity to reimplement these to allow vertical green corridors to occur. Explore Vacant Buildings - To avoid damaging an already deteriorating high street, I aim only to take over vacant plots. Investigate the opportunity for Miyawaki planting - understand the conditions required to grow a sustainable material source on-site, including ground, water, and space conditions. It takes over a building that leads directly to an open space where a community hub is the centre of the thesis, offering education, community engagement and material celebration.

Collage Diagram Drawing Imagining Map Photo Text Aesthetic Archaeology Architecture Biodiversity Change Climate Community Decay Energy Growing Health Imagination Learning Nature Opportunity Past Plantlife Potential Regenerative Sustainable Unused Water

This building has been chosen due to the clear retrofit it has already undergone. The building has two halves, a modern function on street level with roller shutter doors. These doors seem very out of place as they are not shy in hiding their presence. Then the top half is traditional stone and mortar with some elements of detailing around the windows. I wonder what the addition would look like with the zero- carbon material repair pallet.

Model Photo Aesthetic Architecture Broken Climate Craft Decay Making Material Opportunity Potential

Rust

Text Pouring Rainy Change Decay Material Tiny Things

This building has been picked because it is significant as it represents the language slang used in the local area. Not only that, the facade clearly looks worn and requires repair throughout. This is the best place to start as the locals would easily refer to it via slang. So when spreading the news of repair, people would instantly know which building it is.

Model Photo Aesthetic Architecture Broken Craft Decay Making Material Opportunity Potential

A More-Than-Human Story of Dudley High Street This story is a collective outcome after utilising completed Street Detectorism maps, and More-Than-Human findings to create of 'A More-Than-Human Story of Dudley High Street'. As part of a dissertation study, this workshop invited participants to share their imagination and develop stories from the previous findings on Dudley High Street. This story creatively archives nature on Dudley High Street, with emphasis for the value of storytelling and nature at the forefront of this task.

Collage Drawing Imagining Observation Poem Story Beauty Colour Creativity Creatures Decay Growing Imagination Light Making Memory Nature Plantlife Sounds Stories Tiny Things Weathered Words

Top floor - Represents social decay + the action in response

Text Decay High

Peeling layers of paint grey, blue, red, green layers of the past revealing themselves...

Text Cool Overcast Colour Decay Material Memory Old Past

Nature thriving through the cracks

Text Rainy Aesthetic Beauty Decay Growing Life Nature Plantlife Tiny Things

Infrastructure - cladding falling off?

Text Broken Decay Material