muf architecture .. the real deal?

Liza Fior and Katherine Clark   muf architects

Lake District, Ruskin Square in Croydon

Ruskin Square   Cricket nets

Ruskin Square elements

Muf architecture, a practice led by artist Katherine Clarke and architect Liza Fior, is seriously concerned with what public space actually is and what social inclusion means.  Rowan Moore, in his article of 28.10.12, describes Ruskin Square, a wasteland area in Croydon, transformed by muf into a meaningful and useful open space, as the first stage of a major development.  The rough weedy plot, containing 76 species of plant, is taken as a literal symbol of the Lake District so beloved by Ruskin.  His belief that play is as important as work is represented by two cricket practice nets, for, typically, muf discovered that Afghan refugees, brought to Croydon because it is the base for UK Border Agency, had nowhere to play cricket.  Muf  "places the human activities in a space above its physical form", and this means there a space is constantly evolving along with its inhabitants".  Commercial developers Taylor Wimpey pay tribute:  "Their most powerful idea is that you grow a place through interim uses"

In my next post I will discuss the article by David Seamon in which he points out that Christopher Alexander also maintains open-ended planning and prioritizes human activity, and its constant change and fluctuation.