Stories Under A Tree

Treehouse-in-snowTreehouse-in-use-2Stories-Under-A-Tree-workshop-in-under-5-drop-in-centre-

Stories Under A Tree, Meanwhile Gardens, London (UK) 2013

Chelsea College of Art and Design

Stories Under A Tree’ is one of six temporary interventions in Meanwhile Gardens, a community garden in North-West London, designed and constructed by students from Design Research Studio 07.

‘Stories Under A Tree’ is a space for the local community to meet and share stories both verbally, through a series of recording devices hidden in bird houses and visually, using the chalks provided to write on wooden planks suspended from the tree. The design is simple. It is a response to the DIY aesthetic of existing structures within the garden and it allows for residents interpretations of its use. The concept for the project, its location within the garden and its design were developed through a series of formal and informal activities with local residents, garden staff and volunteers. The responsiveness of the team to the desires of the community led to the management allowing the structure to become a part of the garden for four months.

Client: Meanwhile Gardens Community.

Participants: Students, residents, garden staff and volunteers.

Tutors: Mariana Pestana & Shibboleth Shechter.

Students: Veronica Michelle Davis, Hannah Rebekah Douglas, Noor Sadiq and Shipra Singhania.

Research Question: DRS07 students were asked to design temporary or mobile interventions that are proposals, as well as, tools for engagement and change. They were asked to design these with/in response to participatory action research with the garden community.

Link: Project blog


United Kingdom, Initiated by institution, 0-10, Undergraduate, Months, Self-funded, +, Temporary, Curricular, Interior Architecture, Students with tutor, Chelsea College Art+Design