Laura Oldfield Ford's 2015 essay envisions occupation of London's luxury developments as radical urban strategy
Laura Oldfield Ford's essay, published in April 2015 by ArtReview, highlights the transformation of London's landscape due to real estate developments, showcasing vacant luxury towers and apartments. Forgotten social housing estates, including Aylesbury, Heygate, Ferrier, and Trowbridge, evoke memories of the past. Activists from the New Era estate in Hoxton and Aylesbury Estate in Elephant & Castle participated in a housing demonstration, marching towards the mayor's office near One Tower Bridge and dispersing into Southwark. Meanwhile, Carpenters Road in Stratford City has turned into a temporary area as Newham Council relocates residents to Birmingham and Manchester, reflecting class cleansing. Ford calls for the occupation of empty towers and luxury dromes, opposing neoliberal individualism.
Key facts
- Laura Oldfield Ford's essay was published in April 2015 by ArtReview
- Occupation events occurred in February 2015 starting from housing demonstrations
- Key locations include the Aylesbury Estate, New Era estate, and One Tower Bridge in London
- Developers mentioned include Berkeley, Ballymore, Barratt, Lend Lease, and St Modwen
- Historical context references Thatcherite policies of the 1980s and 90s
- The essay advocates for occupying luxury developments and empty towers
- Areas like Vauxhall, Nine Elms, and Battersea Power Station are highlighted
- Social housing estates such as Heygate, Ferrier, and Trowbridge are described as abandoned sites
Entities
Artists
- Laura Oldfield Ford
Institutions
- ArtReview
- Newham Council
- Socialist Worker
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Birmingham
- Manchester
- China
- Malaysia
- Middle East
- Stratford City
- Hoxton
- Elephant & Castle
- Southwark
- Vauxhall
- Nine Elms
- Battersea Power Station
- Clerkenwell
- North Peckham
- Stamford Hill