Serpentine Pavilion 2022 is a 'Black Chapel' by Theaster Gates
by STIRworldFeb 04, 2022
•make your fridays matter with a well-read weekend
by STIRworldPublished on : May 02, 2021
Of late, global events, most notably the Black Lives Matter protests in the United States last year, have highlighted the pervasiveness of discrimination within law enforcement and institutional racism within society. These undesired hindrances to the noble idea of social equality - a vital postulate of modern democracy - are now gradually being acknowledged for their contributions to the unjust hierarchies that have regulated civilisation and its judicial systems. At a time when the issue is now more relevant than ever, Adjaye Associates has unveiled a memorial in Windrush Square, Brixton, commemorating the life of Cherry Groce, a victim of injustice at the hands of the UK police system during the mid-1980s.
The memorial's construction has been facilitated by the Cherry Groce Foundation, which was established in 2014 to provide aid to marginalised Black, African, and Caribbean communities in Britain. "I am honoured to celebrate the unveiling of this project and the representation it brings to the black community for Brixton, London, and the UK at large," says Ghanaian-British architect and the firm's founder, Sir David Adjaye, in an official statement on the pavilion's completion. He adds, "It is my sincere hope that the restorative justice that is borne from the making of this pavilion can help us all learn from and be better neighbours to each other in the city that we live in".
On September 28, 1985, Dorothy Cherry Groce, a 37-year-old mother residing in Brixton, was shot in front of her children by Metropolitan Police officers conducting a raid on her home. This incident sparked the 1985 Brixton riots, which saw confrontations between local law enforcement authorities and residents taking a stand in opposition to perceived injustices resulting from the policing system and its racial prejudice towards Britain's black community. After enduring the strain of paralysis, caused by the shooting, for 26 years, Groce passed away in 2011 from complications due to her injuries. Thirty-five years on, her story remains one of a family and community collectively striving towards a quest for truth and righteousness while refuting the idea that their society is one that condones the injustice done to her.
Within the context of Windrush Square, Brixton - a southern borough of the English capital, the structure acts as a community pavilion for residents to congregate, in addition to its primary function as a reminder of Cherry Groce's perseverance. Structurally engineered by British practice AKT II, the pavilion's single cuboidal column rising from a stepped base symbolises Cherry's unwavering resolve and fortitude alongside the support of her community.
At its apex, a triangular roof provides shade and simultaneously represents the shelter and security of Brixton's local community, while its planting signifies 'change, growth, and optimism', as per the architects. The roofline has the words 'In Loving Memory Of Cherry Groce', engraved on all three faces. Benches integrated into the stepped lower levels are designed for the residents to engage with the memorial's space. The structure's angular design complements similar geometries seen within the landscaped lawns of the area, which includes a memorial to the African and Caribbean soldiers.
"It’s been a long time coming and happy to see all the hard work, dedication and commitment from all involved including donors, come together," says Cherry’s son, Lee Lawrence, regarding the memorial's unveiling. On the pavilion's personal significance to him, he mentions, "It’s a wonderful feeling and an honour to have such a significant memorial embedded in Brixton where we and many other black people called home, as well as the place where we experienced so much of our struggles. So to have this memorial dedicated to my mother Cherry Groce and a community who rose up for the terrible injustice which happened to her and subsequently us is the greatest gift I could give to her in her absence".
Inaugurated on April 25, 2021, the Cherry Groce Memorial Pavilion now stands as an emblem of Groce's struggle and of architecture's ability to aid in healing long standing wounds borne from the evil of institutional racism.
(Text by Jerry Joe Elengical, intern at STIRworld.com)
Name: Cherry Groce Memorial Pavilion
Location: Brixton, London, United Kingdom
Completed: 2021
Architect:Adjaye Associates
Client: Cherry Groce Foundation
Structural Engineer: AKT II
by Almas Sadique May 29, 2023
The residential structure in Belgium is a single family home that is built along the undulating landscape in its vicinity.
by Anmol Ahuja May 27, 2023
STIR tours the recently completed Fish Island Village by Haworth Tompkins and The Trampery campus in Hackney Wick, discovering its industrial history and present day urban aspirations.
by Devanshi Shah May 26, 2023
A powerful curatorial structure by Lesley Lokko needs to be carefully absorbed as an exhibition, a presentation and a display.
by STIRworld May 24, 2023
The proposal by Haptic Architects and Oslo Works, comprising workspaces for marine industry, hopes to capture the fjord’s underwater life while anticipating its future.
make your fridays matter
SUBSCRIBEDon't have an account?
Sign UpOr you can join with
Already signed up?
LoginOr you can join with
Please select your profession for an enhanced experience.
Tap on things that interests you.
Select the Conversation Category you would like to watch
Please enter your details and click submit.
Enter the code sent to
What do you think?