Stories of Home

Greenspace has created a book of portraits of Londoners and an exhibition which reflects on what makes a home feel like home.

With the capital’s property market teetering, the traditional idea of home as a loved, personal space set in a cohesive community may seem threatened for Londoners. No matter the circumstances, Brexit or no Brexit, the evolution of cities, a constant change throughout history, is about what homes mean to people. Creative agency Greenspace and start-up Anthology’s new book and accompanying exhibition Stories of Home sees Londoners speak about home, with captivating photography that opens a window on their lives.

Chapter I — Once upon a time

In 2013, we met a property developer called Mark Dickinson. He was hoping to establish a more responsible development company than London is accustomed to. Instead of marching into neighbourhoods with little regard for local people, history and context, his company would approach every new-build residential project with the values of community and home at its heart. His goal was to raise industry standards through excellent customer service, and by respecting — even cherishing — the neighbourhoods they build in.

Having won Mark’s heart with a poem (Stories of home, built from London), we named the company Anthology, because home and community are where we make our life stories.

Chapter II — In a land…quite nearby

People buying new-build homes often want to understand and feel a part of their future neighbourhood — its history, culture and identity. London is built on layers of history reaching back to pre-classical times, so in our remit as Anthology’s creative partner, we dig up research that informs the tone of each development. Anthology’s site in Deptford was built on an obsolete steel foundry, which inspired the development’s name, Deptford Foundry. The area has many other past and present connections with makers and artists, inspiring events and festivals such as Deptford Stories, celebrating the industrial and cultural heritage of the area.

Chapter III — There was a local hero

Every neighbourhood contains extraordinary personalities that make it vivid and unique, and part of our research is to find these people and make them our ‘local heroes’. We often find them working in the industries that once defined an area or that define the area today. In southeast London, foundry-worker Vincent Jack became one of the local heroes for the Deptford Foundry development, starring in a poster campaign and film. He also cast in bronze a sculptural ‘A’, for Anthology. Next-door to Hoxton Press we found New North Press, a traditional letterpress print whose owner makes and uses hand-carved wooden type. Our campaign promoted the work of this local hero, and he designed a bespoke typeface for the development based on its hexagonal architecture.

We engage communities in different ways, running school competitions to name streets and buildings, organising festivals that showcase local performers and artists, renovating railway arches and buildings for use as venues and then giving them to the community. The result? New developments and their future residents are accepted and welcomed into the neighbourhood from a very early stage, sharing and creating new stories and preparing the ground for integrated, resilient communities.

Chapter VI — Going home

Encompassing 270 nationalities and 300 languages, London is one of the most diverse places on earth. Stories of Home shines a light on the rich communities and neighbourhoods that Anthology works in. During 2018’s long, hot summer, we walked the streets of Deptford, Hoxton, Wembley, and Tottenham talking to and photographing over 40 people. We found the results compelling. It occurred to us that, along with the unique personalities of our subjects, we were capturing a sensitive moment in history. Speaking about home, some of our storytellers have a philosophical bent, some are more concrete. One speaks of home as somewhere she’s comfortable to drop custard tart crumbs. Long live London, and sofa crumbs.

Chapter V — (Not) The End

Stories of Home was conceived to celebrate Anthology’s fifth birthday working with the local communities in London. While making it, we felt that the book and its photography merited an exhibition. So, at this year’s London Design Festival we staged a show and a panel discussion with Greenspace and photographer Henry Hunt. We are now happy to announce that Stories of Home is available through Greenspace, [email protected].

Here’s to Anthology, and to Londoners living happily ever after.