The project proposes an artist’s residency program aiming to encourage interaction and build a community between the people of City.

During the first semester, I produced a manifesto that explored the residential experience of the City through different methods of archiving. Through my research which is summarized by the analogous map, I focused on the City’s governing entity by looking into its political structure and on its relationship with its few residents. Moreover, I archived the spaces that the residents occupy as well as tried to understand how they experience their neighborhoods. One of my main observations that informed the brief of my proposal was that there is a theme of disconnect that characterizes the City of London which is apparent from its continuous effort to distinguish itself as an independent local authority, from itsrelationship with its residents and its 'fragmented' urban

To understand why the City came to be what it is now, I looked into its history of how it was formed. Initially it gained its power by being a trading spot which thrived due to its location next to the river. The streets were constantly busy with fairs, street sellers and craft makers. As business increased, merchants who lived there and worked in the same craft or trade formed small associations to support craftmakers: ‘the Livery Companies’ and each one occupied its own part of the City.

With ‘Isles of Craft’ , I am proposing an artist’s residency program that would be managed by the Liveries with the goals of reintegrating craft and its trade to the contemporary City of London. The program includes 4 studios for craft makers working within the 6-month residency based on the main mediums of the old types of craft that existed in the past which are: wood, metal, clay and textiles. The project has a public facing aspect by considering a path that allows the public to discover craft and immerse themselves through engaging public spaces, exhibitions, shops and craft workshops taught by the craftmakers.

The interventions are distributed within the area between two of the neighborhood islands identified in the first term research: the island of St Paul’s and the island of Queenshithe. The reason this site was chosen is to bridge the gap between the neighborhoods and generate a connection for their communities.