Common Knowledge was an 18 month project by Jacques Nimki based on Tooting Bec Common, which responded to the parkland’s ecological significance and cultural history through a series of workshops, events and creative outputs. The purpose was to restore the hidden heritage of a unique public space and give it a voice within the community.
A team of volunteers drawn from local residents became “Guardians of the Common Knowledge”, working alongside Jacques Nimki to create a programme of workshops, alternative signage, maps and an app that offered an alternative perspective of how we view and engage with this much loved green space. The signs were in situ for one year and various public walks were programmed to encourage alternative explorations of the site.
Encouraging outdoor learning through sensorial exploration, a school activity pack was developed in collaboration with local primary schools in response to the key themes highlighted through Common Knowledge. Ensuring we challenge and test new methodologies of learning, the pack provided teachers with the framework and confidence to conduct classes in green spaces.
Common Knowledge was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and developed in partnership with London Borough of Wandsworth.
