How would you wish Canada Water to be like?

 “I Wish” invites residents and visitors of the Canada Water area to share their personal desires for this place. This area of the city has been a site of change: from marshlands to docklands, from a quiet residential neighbourhood to today’s masterplan redevelopment. This territory still shows traces of this continuous transformation, making it unique and special. In a moment when this place is prone to change again, the audience is invited to reflect on how they wish it did.
 

• How do they imagine its future?

• What local heritage should be preserved?

• What will the past, present and future Canada Water have in common?

Everyone is invited to share their wish in the "I Wish" booth located at the Canada Water Market on Sundays 4, 11 and 18 June. These wishes will be displayed in a  collective exhibition called "We Wish" which will take place at the Canada Water Market on Sunday 25 June and will also have a digital presence on this website and the project´s social media.

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Follow the project´s social media:

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             Wewishcanadawater

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What is this project about?

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This project is part of practice-based research about community engagement and public consultation. It consists of two parts: 

“I Wish” is a participatory installation, a wishing booth, where residents and visitors of Canada Water may share their wishes for their area, and what is it that they value and want to preserve.

“We Wish” is a collective exhibition of these wishes, intended to bring to light the local communities’ concerns about Canada Water’s future.

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Who is organising it?

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This project is organised by Katica Puga, an architectural designer and student at Goldsmiths University. Her deep interest in the identity of places and people’s relationships with their physical environment has motivated her to carry out this academic research for her MA studies in Cultural and Creative Entrepreneurship.

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Part of a bigger event

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This project is proudly part of the London Festival of Architecture (LFA) 2023, a major celebration of the city of London and Londoners. This year, the festival addresses the theme "in common".

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In relation to this topic, "I Wish" invites its audience to answer the following question: 
What do you wish the past, present and future Canada Water had in common?

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How much people wish in common or hold wishes that are unique to their experience will be displayed at the "We Wish" exhibition.

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When and where

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This project will take place every Sunday in June at the Canada Water Market, at the Deal Porter Square (just across the Canada Water Station)

The “I Wish” booth will be installed on the following dates:
• Sunday, June 4, 11:00 – 17:00 hrs.
• Sunday, June 11, 11:00 – 17:00 hrs.
• Sunday, June 18, 11:00 – 17:00 hrs.

The “We Wish” exhibition will take place on Sunday, June 25, from 11:00 to 17:00 hrs.

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Who is the target audience?

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This event welcomes everybody that has a connection with Canada Water and wants to share their desires and concerns for this area. Participants may be residents and also visitors of the area. There is no age restriction to participate.

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What happens to the information collected?

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The anonymous wishes shared by participants in the “I Wish” booth will be collected, curated, and exhibited in the “We Wish” exhibition. These wishes will also be shared on the project’s website and social media. 

The data collected will be analysed to understand the specific concerns of people about the Canada Water area. It will also provide insights on how to improve this methodology of public consultation.