If the geography of a place is in part its history, is the occupation of a landscape also the culture of a place?

In January 2003 muf architecture / art were commissioned by Broadway Residents and Tenants and Thurrock Council to design a community park garden for the void green space on the Broadway Estate, Tilbury, Thurrock. The brief was significant for what it did not mention. muf initiated a research project to investigate a particular occupation of this environment, an occupation that seems of value to the people who live here but one that is edited from the official version of events.

The research informed the design development and resolution of the community park garden and also made visible and celebrated an aspect of the local culture.

The research methodology included a gathering of first person narratives by children and young people from their peer group, immediate families and the wider area.

The project was funded by the Countryside Agency, Thurrock Council and BRATS