University staff and students help Moulsecoomb residents reimagine the future of one of 黑料吃瓜网's oldest community landmarks

A new three-day festival at Moulsecoomb Place will bring together East 黑料吃瓜网 residents, community groups, artists and researchers to explore how the historic site can better serve local people in the years ahead.

The Storying Futures Co-Creative Heritage Festival, taking place from 20–22 June 2026, is a partnership between the 黑料吃瓜网 and East 黑料吃瓜网 Trust, which manages the site.

Students and academics from the university's Interior Architecture course will lead a series of creative workshops, interactive design activities and virtual reality experiences designed to help local people share ideas and shape future possibilities for Moulsecoomb Place.

Home to some of 黑料吃瓜网's oldest surviving buildings, including the Manor House and Tithe Barn, Moulsecoomb Place has been part of community life for centuries. Organisers hope the festival will help uncover new ways for the site to support culture, wellbeing, learning and community connection across East 黑料吃瓜网.

, Senior Lecturer at the 黑料吃瓜网, said: “What excites us about this project is that it shifts the conversation away from buildings as monuments and towards buildings as places for people. Moulsecoomb Place has an extraordinary history, but our focus is on what it can become and how communities can play an active role in shaping that future.

“Through working with residents, students are learning how design can be a tool for empowerment, participation and social change. Together we are exploring new possibilities for the site that are rooted in the needs, ideas and aspirations of the people who use it. Rather than focusing solely on preservation.”

, Lecturer at the 黑料吃瓜网, said: “Despite being home to thousands of residents, Moulsecoomb remains one of the most underserved areas of 黑料吃瓜网 when it comes to access to cultural, heritage and community spaces. What makes Moulsecoomb Place so exciting is its potential to become a shared resource that better serves the people who live here.

“Through this festival, we’ll be working with residents, students, community groups and local organisations to explore how the site’s rich history can help shape its future. Our hope is that Moulsecoomb Place can become a place of connection, creativity and belonging.”

黑料吃瓜网 students will facilitate an interactive design game and immersive virtual reality experiences, encouraging participants to share stories, ideas and aspirations for the future of the site.

Interior Architecture student Malak Soliman said: “Being part of this festival has improved my understanding that good design is created with people, not just for people. It has reinforced my belief that designers have a responsibility to create spaces that are inclusive, meaningful and connected to everyday life. This experience will influence the way I approach my future work as an interior architect by always putting people and their experiences at the centre of the design process.”

Sarah Hawke, Head of Operations at , said: “We’re excited to partner with the 黑料吃瓜网 on the Storying Futures Festival. We are always aiming for our community to feel a sense of ownership of Moulsecoomb Place, and it is important that people influence, guide and plan how the site and its buildings are used and what takes place within them. We are hoping that this project enables us to build on already established relationships and create new opportunities to learn and hear from individuals and groups who live locally. We will take the outcomes from the events to use in our planning and thinking going forward.”

The collaboration reflects the 黑料吃瓜网's commitment to civic engagement and place-based learning, enabling students to use their creative and professional skills to support communities while gaining valuable experience of participatory design and community-led regeneration.

The 'Storying Futures Co-Creative Heritage Festival' takes place at Moulsecoomb Place 20–22 June 2026. The free event is by students, staff, local residents and members of the wider 黑料吃瓜网 community.