Borough Archive
A community memory installation for Lambeth that asks how residents from different parts of the borough can leave traces of their lives, encounter each other's stories and build a stronger sense of belonging through public space.
Connected, But Not Close
In Lambeth, people may live peacefully together, but they are not truly connected. Fewer people feel they can ask neighbours for advice.
From: Lambeth.gov.uk
Research Question
In a global and highly diverse urban community such as Lambeth, why do ethnicity, class, and lifestyle still separate people in everyday life?
Interview Findings
North Lambeth
Overall, residents in North Lambeth spoke positively about the borough and considered it a good place both to live and to work.
South Lambeth
Residents in South Lambeth were generally satisfied with the area, although most preferred not to be photographed. Some described experiences of discrimination, revealing a search for recognition and belonging within the places where they live and work.
Making Everyday Traces Visible
Rather than simply presenting Lambeth's diversity, the project sought to return overlooked lived experiences to public space— especially those rarely recorded by city archives, public narratives, or visual culture.
Collecting Everyday Objects
The project collected objects, images, and materials connected to residents' everyday experiences, turning abstract ideas of identity, memory, and belonging into visible evidence.
From Bus Shelters to a Virtual Exhibition
The original proposal placed these objects and stories in bus- shelter advertising spaces encountered by residents every day. Funding and site negotiations prevented the physical installation, so the project shifted to a virtual exhibition that simulated how the archive could appear across Lambeth's public spaces and libraries.
