FELIX
MULENGA
CONNEXION PRACTICE GROUPWORK
Interviews with Hulme Residents
From the 1:1 Event we held we found out that most of the people that atteneded were from outisde Hulme but were drawn in because of places like the Garden Centre and the Z-Arts Centre who provide family activities. These are the kinds of things that mainly draw people to the area as these places were unique and offer activties you can't easily find elsewhere. The parents mostly knew each other because they regularly attend events at the Garden Centre with their kids.
The Kids were aquanted because some went to the same schools and enjoyed spending time at the various arts centres and the green spaces such as Hulme Park and St. Georges Park.
From our interview with Hulme residents, we found out that most enjoyed community events that they attended. When we interviewd a man named Curtis, we found out that the Junction Pub is one of only a few places like it in Hulme. This is because it holds things like Band nights, host performances and has casual karaoke nights that he thought really connected the people that attended. He mentioned the lack of many venues that allowed for this and thats something that interested me.
The only other place to do these activities would be the Z-Arts Centre though thats more of a theatre focused venue. Another venue that had live music was another Bar called the Binary Bar which is quite a distance from the Junction Pub and Z-Arts Centre.
Curtis
Junction Pub
Z-Arts Centre
1:1 Event
My project is a music Venuw located on the Hulme Leaf Street Site.
My Project community is the Families and Young People looking for entertainment spaces in Hulme offering mainly Musical Performances and Music Lessons for everyone that welcomes local as well as outside musicians.
I'm doing it because besides the Junction Pub and Z-Arts Centre there aren't many musical performance spaces in the area and i wanted to design one that accomodated people in general looking for an enjoyable time. It will add to the facilities available by offering a more music focused venue.
I am doing this by using the leaf street site as a mainly music building but with a cafe and bar available as well and a spacious lobby if people want to just hang out inside. Facilites will also be avaiable for music lessons and rehearsals as well as full recording facilities.
People, Issues and Place Approach
Relevant Hulme History
In Hulme historically there have been music and theatre venues that provided some of the services the current venues such as the Z-Arts Centre do. Hulme is famous for producing bands such as Joy Division whose performances at the Hulme venue, The Rusell Club (called The Factory for the nights that their signature musical style was performed). This venue is fondly remembered even today after its been long gone.
Similar things can be said for the Hulme Hippodrome which hosted theatre productions in its heyday but is currently on the Manchester City Council's Buildings at Risk Registry. For musicians in Hulme right now the main places they can perform and record are the Z-Arts Centre and Junction Pub but they aren't dedicated music venues so thats something that would be worth tackling for my project.
