1)
Identifying the need to increase COLLECTIVE MEMORY:
Purfleet is a place of memory and significance lost to the transient
passer by and the transient inhabitant. Narratives and memories,
together with events which create them, bind a community together
and encourage development of localised culture.If this process
is not encouraged we can potentially end up with suburban voids,
unsuitable for living and visiting.
2)
Identifying the LACK OF CENTRE(S):
Lack of a centre or hub where residents can gather for everyday
activities and feel a sense of ownership, gives way to a slow
and in parts non existant collective community. In Purfleet
there is no place for informal chats, gossips and general exchange.
This is a shame as due to Purfleets size and pace of life such
spaces could become an ideal context for locals to become acquainted.
3)
Identifying DIVIDED COMMUNITIES:
Purfleet is set up as a series of small neighbourhoods rather
than a collective town. This structure may have been effective
historically when the place was agricultural. Today in order
for Purfleet to develop, it needs a more holistic approach applied
to the entire town. This does not however mean blanket planning
or zoning by use. This also does not mean filling the gaps between
the neighbourhoods without an overall cultural/community strategy.
4)
Identifying ERASURES AND DEVELOPMENTS as processes to be closely
assessed:
By erasing you are effacing, removing and wiping out fragments
of an existing identity of a place. This is a process that
needs to be done thoughtfully and creatively. By developing
you are expanding, evolving and unravelling an existing place
with something new. This could become intrusive or inclusive
in development of the town’s cultural identity but requires
thought.
