Sarah Macbeth

Category: Sarah Macbeth

  • Reclaiming the commons

    Reclaiming the commons

    On my Masters in Sustainable Design, I’ve started exploring ideas around the Commons, access to and use of public space, and how design models might influence behaviour and perhaps even promote responsible attitudes to our environment.

    My poster, currently exhibited in the university, pieces together components that feel important: access to natural resources such as water, the inclusion of nature, aspects of sharing/DIY/open source.

    Can we reclaim the urban commons for the public, rather than for private enterprise, and in doing so encourage participation across communities?

    What strategies can we use to reimagine urban communing for collaboration, sharing and collective ownership. Can it be scaled up to influence the workings of a municipality – particularly to tackle issues around sustainability?

    This work begins to explore the commons as space and also as process, and identify ways to foster a shared responsibility for its future. How can design practices contribute to a commons-based civic movement?

  • The importance of place to the things we use.

    The importance of place to the things we use.

    The film Dear Object aims to present the importance of place (and its identity) in relation to the things we use, and share in the joy and distinctive nature of local things in the lives of four local people in
    Hastings.

    As globalism and localism are inextricably linked the film hints that local choices within the local economy could help make the planet more
    sustainable.

    Who features?

    Local people who actively participate in the community were asked to perform a love letter to their favourite local objects. It was important to present diversity as part of the local makeup of the town – hence not selecting people just of Hastings descent.

    Alison Cooper chose a secondhand chair that she bought in a local house clearance and had it repaired by a local cane furniture worker.

    John Cole chose a footstool made by a local business, Harbor Designs.

    Claudine Eccleston chose a painting by recently deceased, Danny Pockets, a locally based artist. The painting depicts Chinese Town in London Road, St Leonards, a favourite eatery amongst many locals.

    Sinéid Codd chose a refurbished secondhand bicycle recently purchased from High Tides Cycles at Marina Court, St Leonards.

    The key message is the value and eco-consciousness of locally procured objects, the hidden narrative of these objects and the social network they are a part of.

  • Studying the elements

    Studying the elements

    I’m on week 3 of a course called “Elemental”, exploring the characteristics of the main elements: Earth, Air, Water and Fire.

    It’s been very enriching to spend time considering each one and trying to identify what element I am drawn too or what element is dominating my life at present. I think I’m mostly an earth person but recently I’ve been drawn to air.

    The image above shows all the ‘air’ related objects we found in the church graveyard during the session. I really love the shells as they are dropped from the sky by seagulls looking for food. The lichen on the trees shows how clean the air is.

  • Building a bench for Jane Eyre

    Building a bench for Jane Eyre

    At the community garden in St Leonards the Transition Town team of eager volunteers put together a beautiful garden bench, in less than half a day! We are calling it the ‘Proposal Bench’ for the #JaneEyreProject which takes place in St Leonards from Feb 21 to March 7.

    We are inviting visitors to the garden to sit, enjoy the space and write a proposal.