Middlesex Street

In 2014 Mooch worked with Philip Cave Associates on a commission from the City of London to redesign the entrance to a block of flats just off Middlesex Street. The intention was to remove the existing ramps to the Artizan Street car park and open up the public realm to the flats and library, creating a new community space in the heart of historical London. This was viewed as an opportunity to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the East End, promote pride in the area and encourage more street activity.

The project would primarily focus on young people at the local school, users of the new Artizan Street library and local residents of Petticoat Tower.

Mooch explored the history of the local Portsoken ward area and worked with Philip Cave to create a pocket oasis and outdoor library space. Research at the library threw up many choice quotes for the local area but one that stood out referenced the world famous Petticoat Lane market just around the corner after which the tower block was named. The quote was “ You could have your petticoat stolen from you at one end of the market and sold back to you at the other!” This inspired the designs for the planters and a new version of the famous City of London bollards for this new public realm. The local “rag trade” (clothing industry) prompted the idea for a woven sculpture on the wall of one of the buildings. This would involve weaving side light emitting fibre optic cables, creating a reassuring beacon overlooking the library entrance.

Extensive work also went into a potential project with the local Sir John Cass Foundation School “Learning about Petticoat Lane market” which would bring history to life by working with children to understand the process of running a market stall both historically and contemporarily. This ultimately would lead to a ‘work experience’ event running their own stall with objects sourced and/or made by the children. This would assist children in learning about the history of the market as well as provide some constructive learning around commercial activities. Many of the children at the Sir John Cass Foundation School are from families of 1st and 2nd generation immigrants. We wished to ensure that these young people are educated about the history of the area they live in and feel the ability to contribute to the changes to that area.