INTERIM USE

A use for an interval of time between one event, process or period and another.

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) commissioned ‘Learning from Others’ as a piece of research into local and international interim use precedents, to inform an approach to delivering interim uses that successfully support local regeneration in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

Interim uses can have a significant role in a variety of situations and overcome challenging site conditions to enable temporary use. These uses can vary in duration, in audience and most importantly, be instrumental in testing ideas and approaches and engage with communities and land owners on the long term vision and aspirations for an area.

The Decorators

This research aims to learn how meanwhile and grassroots projects can shape a neighbourhood. Our six international case studies do this by establishing a programme that attempts to enable local ownership, that works to maximise underused neighbourhood resources and builds on existing local networks.

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Covers Decorators
Report Decorators

Streetgames

All of the case studies included in this report have a community sport and leisure focus.  The case studies were selected in order to provide examples, which include: differing spatial requirements, varied lifespans, differing construction requirements, a mix of both flexible and static facilities, provision for a range of different sports/activities, activities which appeal to differing target markets – and the likely demographics of both existing and future nearby residents and opportunities for both formal and informal participation.

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Covers Streetgames
Reports Streetgames

David Kohn Architects, The Yard Theatre & Live Art Development Agency

A study of five arts projects relevant to interim uses on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, carried out by David Kohn Architects in collaboration with The Yard Theatre and Live Art Development Agency. The research and analysis informs a series of recommendations to the London Legacy Development Corporation for the delivery of future live art and performance projects.

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Covers DKA
Report DKA

CODA & Common Capital

The aim of this work has been to critically dissect, analyse and evaluate a number of meanwhile use developments. We have examined how a number of projects have been delivered, with a particular focus on finance, collaboration, community involvement, success, business model and the commissioning and procurement perspective.

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Covers CODA
Report CODA

The Architecture Foundation

The Architecture Foundation examined a selection of international case studies of creative re-use and conducted research into reuse examples in the UK in order to assemble a series of lessons learnt to inform the potential creation of a Materials Reuse Centre in East London on an interim-use site. This facility would potentially aid the construction of future meanwhile projects on or around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and also offer building materials and components for sale to the wider public for reuse.

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Covers AF
Report AF

About the Project

INTERIM USE
A use for an interval of time between one event, process, or period and another.

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) commissioned ‘Learning from Others’ as a piece of research into local and international interim use projects, to inform an approach to delivering interim uses that successfully supports regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

The LLDC are responsible for the long-term planning, development, management and maintenance of the park and its facilities following the London 2012 Games. It is their task to transform and integrate one of the most challenged areas in the UK into world-class, sustainable and thriving neighbourhoods. In their response to this, the LLDC wish to develop projects at the forefront of current thinking on meanwhile uses and temporary urbanism, and to engage with other experts in the field.

Interim uses can have a significant role in a variety of situations and overcome challenging site conditions to enable temporary inhabitation. These uses can vary in duration, in audience and most importantly, can be instrumental in testing ideas and approaches, whilst engaging with communities and land owners, on the long term vision and aspirations for an area.

This body of work provides a platform for learning ‘how to’ and ‘how not to’ deliver interim uses. It includes five reports on a variety of themes, alongside an Atlas of Precedents which summarises the examples included in the five reports with additional precedents that were chosen to provide a rich catalogue of examples. The research is concluded with a Methods Manual that summarises advice from the research, and a website to showcase the findings.

The Project Team

A team of six organisations have gathered examples of precedents to inform the effective and successful delivery of future interim uses in and around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Urban Research Projects are a research office that develops projects, provides analysis, influences plans, and helps deliver informed urban change. They have taken an overview of all of the interim use investigations, and produced a summary atlas of the precedents with key details on the concept, development, delivery and effect of the interim projects. Alongside this is a methods manual of best practice for interim projects as a whole, and specifically for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and surroundings areas.

The Architecture Foundation (AF) is an independent architecture centre that advances architecture and urbanism. The AF have examined a selection of UK and international case studies for the creative re-use of materials, and assembled a series of lessons learnt to inform the potential creation of a Materials Reuse Centre on an interim use site.

Streetgames is a sports charity that supports a network of projects which give sports and volunteering opportunities to young people in disadvantaged communities. They have investigated and reviewed community sport and leisure interim uses across the UK .

David Kohn Architects in collaboration with The Yard Theatre and Live Art Development Agency are three organisations that are involved in live performance art. They have conducted a study of five arts projects and have produced a series of recommendations for the delivery of future live art and performance projects.

Coda Architects and Common Capital are a collaborative design, architecture and social entrepreneurship team. They have examined how a number of interim projects have been delivered, with a particular focus on finance, collaboration, business models and the commissioning and procurement challenges.

The Decorators are a London-based art and architecture collective. They have investigated interim uses with an emphasis on how to build local ownership and authorship of public and community spaces, and link projects with existing neighbourhood resources and networks.

 

Project Documents

These studies form a suit of documents that can be used by the LLDC and others to deliver well informed interim uses.

Project Diagram Web (Large Text)

Lessons Learnt

The research within the Precedents Atlas and Case study reports has been gathered and summarised in the Methods Manual, to aid the London Legacy Development Corporation’s delivery of interim uses and informed positive urban change.

Interim uses can have an instrumental role during and inbetween varying delivery phases within Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, to enable it to evolve into a thriving and vibrant place, that builds on existing community life and develops new additions.

Very rarely does a 30 year masterplan or framework get delivered in the way it was planned to.  Interim uses are a key ingredient to evolving and applying long term strategies to specific areas for a specific purpose and group of people, and are therefore an opportunity for the London Legacy Development Corporation to test and build their long term aspirations through a meaningful interim phase in and around the park.