we went beyond the literature and data to visit the current site of Quarry Hill for a site visit and filming
Quarry Hill is still partly under construction, but it has been transformed - large areas have been converted into modern apartment and office buildings, a far cry from the working class flats of yesteryear. Soaring glass walls, clean streets and multi-functional commercial facilities give us a deep sense of the changes brought about by urban renewal.
Through the lens, we tried to capture the “past life” of the site, from its past as a representative of social housing to its current urban vitality. This site visit not only allowed us to visualize the history of the site, but also prompted us to think about the relationship between space, class and urban planning.
In order to capture the data, we went to the library again, checked the relevant archives, borrowed and read 「The Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890 & Quarry Hill Unhealthy Area, 1900 reference 1」. These first-hand materials not only provided us with the details for constructing the narrative, but also enabled us to understand the relationship between the project and the class. These primary sources not only provided us with details for constructing the narrative, but also enabled us to have a more systematic understanding of the social context and policy evolution behind the project. At the same time, we also conducted some filming about the video content inside and outside the library to record this process of dialoguing with the past through images.
In addition, we also went to Leeds City Museum to examine in depth the historical archives and graphic records related to Quarry Hill. From the Housing Act in the late nineteenth century to the designation and transformation of the Unhealthy Area in the early twentieth century, we attempted to reconstruct the living conditions and social background of the residents in those years from official documents, maps and images. These first-hand accounts have provided us with rich historical details for the construction of the content, and have also strengthened our determination to re-tell this neglected part of the city's memory..
Behind every script fragment, every image processing, every chart, is the result of our team's field visits, repeated research and in-depth understanding. This project is not only a visual presentation, but also our exploration and respect for the relationship between history, data and humanity.