The tailored, project Hackney

Abstract

Housing prices in cities like London, New York, Paris and many others rise to a level which most people can’t afford. Nowadays, it is not just the poor and less advantaged that are being priced out of the city, it is happening to the middle-class as well. Complete communities are stuck in poverty with little chance of upward mobility. In short, there is a social crisis in our cities manifesting itself in the increasing unattainability of living in these cities for most of the population. The central question addressed in this research is: what does the social imbalance in London look like and how can we create opportunities for those communities that are now being left behind? The conclusions and observations made in the research form the framework for the design assignment: creating a community based approach to improve the social balance in a neighbourhood through fashion. The design that follows is located in Hackney, London. It serves as a proof of concept that can be tailored to any currently unattainable city. The project combines manufacturing, education, fashion and reconnecting the community.