As the first large-scale development in Hackney, De Beauvoir Town marks the origin of the borough, yet it has been the object of constant architectural and cultural re-editing. For 15 years the town was under continuous threat of demolition, as post-war buildings sprung up to replace once elegant 19th century houses. Today, it is one of the most gentrified neighbourhoods in London. Still, De Beauvoir is a story of resilience and community action, as its residents assembled to fight for the preservation of their neighbourhood, and lobbied for the closure of roads which threatened their children’s lives.

Kariological Playscape tries to pay homage to the efforts of this community by creating a safe and playful environment for the thousands of students using the site, but it will do this by creating a “kariological” landscape. Through resurfacing the site’s history, allowing “terrains vagues” to evolve on their own, and enhancing the cyclical systems that govern us, this new landscape will stretch our understanding of time.