16 - team progress - et

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UCL Institute of Archaeology

2012

Who Stole my Milk?3.7 Exhibition Team

Jennifer Brown & Semiha Bicer


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UCL Student Homes Project 2012 Page 523

TABLE OF CONTENT

3.7 Exhibition Team 522

3.7.1 Team Collaboration 5243.7.1.1 DSHT 524

3.7.1.2 WRT 524

3.7.1.3 AAT 524

Appendix 3.7.2 Meeting Minutes 13 March 2012 526

Appendix 3.7.3 Initial Spatial Layout 528Appendix 3.7.4 Initial Storyboards 529

Appendix 3.7.5 Panel Design Ideas Evolution 532

Appendix 3.7.6 Initial Text Hierarchy 535

Appendix 3.7.7 Panel Text First Draft 536

Appendix 3.7.8 Initial Exhibition Material Selection 544


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3.7.1 Team Collaboration

3.7.1.1 DSHT

ET liaised with DSHT regarding both the material collected and the material chosen for the

exhibition. When DSHT were designing their methodology for collecting the data ET

provided guidance on the sort of information they would like collected. Following the

review of the collected material, ET also liaised with the Project Photographer for a few

extra photographs. Specific guidance was given on what ET wanted photographed and how

they wanted the photographs to look.

Finally, once ET had selected the material for the exhibition, they also produced a summary

sheet for each household and participant, outlining the participants material that would beincluded in the exhibition (see DSHT progress report appendix 3.17). This was forwarded

to DSHT to be sent on to the participants so that they remained informed about the project.

3.7.1.2 WRT

ET and WRT held a number of meetings to discuss crossovers in their chosen materials and

possible links between the exhibition and the website. Dividing up the approach to the

selected student objects, the teams decided that the exhibition would focus on the studentsrelationships to the objects; the interactive floor plan would provide more details on the

objects themselves.

ET also decided to provide links within the exhibition to the web resources. This was

achieved through the inclusion of two URL links and two QR codes on panels eight and

twelve, linking to the interactive floor plan and digital story respectively.

3.7.1.3 AAT

ET collaborated with AAT to undertake front-end and formative evaluation of the

exhibition. This included meetings with AAT and their GM counterpart and the submission


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by ET of material for the surveys. ET then actively applied the evaluation results to the

exhibition creation process. In particular, the audience demonstrated an interest in the

topics of the kitchen and food, and thought these relevant to many aspects of the

communication messages, including conflict, compromise, international fusion and

personal versus shared objects. Examples drawn from these two topics can therefore be

seen across many of the exhibition panels.

Another key result was the relevance and differing advantages of both ETs exhibition

design ideas. The open-ended feedback from the Geffrye Youth Panel was invaluable in

suggesting to the GMs Graphic Designer which design would suit each panel. Finally, the

results of the focus-group discussion on the selected images and captions highlighted the

importance of drawing out all the key elements of the photograph in the caption, and if

possible also visually through the use of arrows or close-ups. A number of close-up and

context photographs are being included in the exhibition.


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APPENDIX 3.7.2 MEETING MINUTES 13 MARCH 2012

Meeting Title ET meeting Date 13/3/12

Facilitator Time 11am

Location UCLU study spaceNote

TakerJennifer Brown

Attendees Julie Patenaude, Semiha Bicer, Jennifer Brown

KEY POINTS DISCUSSED

Review of panel text written to date with Julie. Suggestions of what to cut out and what to

emphasise.

Review of deliverables for next UCL brief: agreed to focus on:

- Chart that can be used for UCL and Alex summarizing:o Exhibition theme/areao Communication messageso Selected imageso Panel text including any student quotes and captions

- Two designs we are testing and an executive summaryAction plan below agreed


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ACTIONS PLAN

No Action Item(s) Assigned Project

Member/s

Targe

t Date

1. First draft panels 1 and 9 SB 14/3/12

2. Draft panel 5 JB 14/3/

12

3. Put images in word document SB 14/3/12

4. Set up chart template JB 14/3/

12

5. Final first draft 10-12 SB 14/3/12

6. Final first draft 6-8 JB 14/3/12

7. Check if online collection in period rooms JB 14/3/

12

8. Incorporate Julies comments on panels 2 and 3,simplify panel 4

JB 14/3/12

9. Email final first drafts to Julie JB and SB 14/3/

12

NEXT MEETING

TBC


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APPENDIX 3.7.3 INITIAL SPATIAL LAYOUT

STAIRS

Panel

1

Panel

2

Panel

3

Panel 4

Panel

5

ART

ROOM

Panel

6

Panel 7

Panel

8

Panel

9

Panel

10

Panel

11

Panel

12

ART

ROOM


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APPENDIX 3.7.4 INITIAL STORYBOARDS

In January, ET examined the exhibition space and brainstormed ideas for an initial storyboard conceptualising panels to

convey the communication messages. On February 28 th, ET obtained the data from DSHT. After reviewing the data

individually, both ET members met on March 1stto discuss content. ET created a data selection chart linking the relevant

communication messages to selected objects, captions, quotes, and panel text. ET also decided to use QR codes in the

exhibition in order to create a link with the various web resources.


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APPENDIX 3.7.5 PANEL DESIGN IDEAS - EVOLUTION

FEBRUARY 2012 - COMIC STYLE

As soon as ET started writing the exhibition the team members simultaneously began to envision how the exhibition might

look. ET had already come up with two possible designs, a comic-style and a website-style. These were mocked up using the

materials for panels three and four, and forwarded to AAT on March 9 th for testing on the Geffrye Youth Panel and via an

online survey. Feedback on both designs was positive with differing advantages stated, so ET then went through panels three-

twelve and suggested which style might suit each panel. This information was included in the Designers brief. Following

advice from the GM, the comic-style was later suggested for more of the panels. Whilst drafting the panel text ET also began to

design how panels one and two might look and again created mock-ups.

ET met with GMs Graphic Designer on April 10th and presented the initial Designers brief to Sally along with all panel design

mock-ups. The Designers brief provided general background on the exhibition including its location, target audience, andmain themes. Any specific design suggestions including colours and fonts were also included. Following the changes to the

panel texts and captions implemented between April 10 th and 24th more detailed instructions were included in the panel text

document where relevant, indicating for example where related images might be collaged together.


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FEBRUARY 2012 - WEB FORUM

In the end, however, the Graphic Designer was unable to implement the web forum style. The images seemed small, and the

panels empty. It was decided to proceed with the comic style.


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APRIL 2012


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APPENDIX 3.7.6 INITIAL TEXT HIERACHY

Each set of panels as

per storyboard

diagram (x3)

Introductory text themes

and project

Orientation label for whole

exhibition

Captions and quotes attached

to photographs

Panel 12

Title Label

Section labels - explain

communication goal and link

to other sections

Individual panel text

Beginnning with short hook

Introductory/Concluding Text

Themes repeated

Acknowledgements

Repetition of orientation

information

Title Panel


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APPENDIX 3.7.7 PANEL TEXT FIRST DRAFT

Following the initial selection of data ET met on the March 5th to go through the data

selection chart. The twelve panel topics were decided, and the student quotations aroundwhich they would be built were inserted. Once this was done ET were able to write the

body of each panel text, exploring the general theme and any specifics related to thestudent examples. At this stage ET came up with the text hierarchy outlined in appendix3.7.6. Finally, any additional photograph captions that were not student quotes were

drafted. A selection of these photographs and their captions were forwarded to AAT for

evaluation of how well they were felt to convey their related communication message.

The first draft was submitted to the GM on March 16th. Feedback was received on March

29th and as a result panel one was shortened, and panels nine and ten adapted to ensure

they fitted the style of the other panels. The rest of the feedback on approach, tone and

language was positive. Following the submission of a second draft, feedback was received

on April 12th advising on making the photograph captions clearer on where objects were

within the student home. Audience evaluation also showed the importance of highlightingthe key aspects of any photograph. These changes were implemented in the third draft.

Finally, on April 17th ET had another meeting with GM staff at which it was decided toincrease the overall number of images per panel, and include broader room shots next to

object close-up shots. New photograph captions were therefore drafted at this stage and

several minor edits made during the last week. The final text was submitted to the GM on

April 24th to be forwarded to the Graphic Designer.

Panel 1 Who Stole my Milk?

Exploring Student Homes in London

As part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiads Stories of the World: London programme the

Geffrye Museum and Masters students from UCLs Institute of Archaeology are exploring what

makes student homes in London unique.

This exhibition explores the themes of conflict, compromise, friendship and cultural

exchange within the shared spaces of student homes. It also investigates what impact the

unavoidable temporary nature of student homes has on their contents and their inhabitants.

It considers how far a students belongings represent a longing for their past homes.

You will see how cooking, decorations, social customs and personal objects come together in

the students attempt to create a new identity in a home away from home.

This exhibition is based on the stories of fourteen students who live in different Londonboroughs. The UCL team visited each of the flats to interview the participants and

photograph their homes. We would like to thank all the participants for sharing their homes

and stories with us.


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Panel 2 Meet the Students

(Picture) Sophie is a French student who is doing a postgraduate degree in Politics. She has

recently moved to the flat to live with her boyfriend Sebastian.

(Picture) Sebastian is from Germany and is a postgraduate student in Development

Management.

(Picture) Ted is American (need more info).

(Picture) Jack is British. He is doing a postgraduate degree in Economic History.

(Picture) Alan is studying for a Masters in Finance.

(Picture) Echo comes from China like all the others students in this house. She studiesCultural Heritage.

(Picture) Yiyuvan is studying for a degree in Chemical Engineering.

(Picture) Weijia is a postgraduate student on an Executive Leadership Programme.

(Picture) Tuan comes from Vietnam. He studies architecture.

(Picture) Hoa studies Finance. She shares the room with her boyfriend Tuan. She is also

Vietnamese.

(Picture) Natasha comes from Malta. She is doing an MBA within the Health Care Services.

(Picture) Jamie is British and is doing a PhD in Archaeology.

(Picture) Gabrielle is Italian and is doing a PhD in Biochemistry / Molecular Biology.

(Picture) Alessandra is also Italian. She is also doing her PhD in Biochemistry / Molecular

Biology.

Panel 3 Living with Complete Strangers

Imagine yourself as a student coming to London, a city where you know no-one.

You find yourself living with people you have never met before.


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Sharing a house with others can be a lot of fun and a great way to make lifelong friendships.

But there are also the realities of daily life - splitting the bills, noisy parties or whose turn it

is to buy the milk.

Would these lead to conflict or compromise?

Sophie [Tower Hamlets]: I had very nice experiences of flat sharing. But I can see how it

would be a problem if I was sharing a flat with people I didnt like, or if I wasnt on the same

page as them, I would hate it.

Hoa [Camden]: I dont mind sharing my cooking equipment with my flatmates, but it depends

on the personality.

Yiyuyan [Islington]:I dont like to share house with others, but still get along well with my

flatmates and feel comfortable here.

[caption]One person buys a large carton of milk and half the shelf is full! Space in the fridgecan be a source of conflict in student homes.

[caption]The one female flatmate in Barnet, Alessandra, posts an evocative poster on the

boys bathroom.

Panel 4 My space, your space

How would you feel if your bedroom was also a shared living room?

Shared living always requires compromise. Student houses are unique arenas where

people with different lifestyles and backgrounds try and create a home together. The

students find that being considerate towards their flatmates and respecting their space is

vital in creating a happy home.

Jack [Tower Hamlets]: The philosophy of the flat is sharing and caring.

The Tower Hamlets flat in particular requires a lot of compromise, as Jacks bedroom is

also the living room. As they knew each other before living together the students feel that

they have successfully achieved this. Even though they dont have any set flat rules, they

are each aware of their responsibilities and boundaries.

Sophie: We intrude a lot by being around already [in Jacks room], so I dont want to leave

anything around.

[caption]Floor Plan showing Jacks room/living room, drawn by Sophie.


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[caption]Jacks bedroom / the living room.

[caption]A detail from Sophie and Sebastians Room. They keep their belongings in their

personal space.

Panel 5 Bringing University home

Does home represent an escape from work?

Or is it a more comfortable place to study?

Looking around the flats reveals that the students really are interested in their subjects.

Many bring academic-related decoration into this most intimate space, the home.

Alessandra, Barnet: We have a shower curtain that is a periodic table. Gabriele, one of four

scientists living in the flat, shows the curtain to our interviewers.

The bedroom doubling as a study is a familiar feature for students of all ages. Whether at

school, home, or away at university, their books and computers become an important

feature of their rooms.

Weijia [Islington]: The laptop is a most important machine to contact family and friends

and for my studies. It is the laptop his parents bought for him when he first went to

university. As both a personal and academic object, he does not want other students in the

flat to use it.

[caption]Sophie [Tower Hamlets] with her academic year planner.

Panel 6 Cooking up memories

Would you ever view your cutlery sentimentally?

Would this change if you had to share a kitchen?

Like any household, kitchen utensils are essential objects for daily living in student homes.

We mostly use them without giving them much thought. However as so much in student

kitchens have to be shared with strangers, the simplest everyday objects can take on a

higher significance.

Jamie [Barnet]:For some reason I have brought a knife, a fork and a spoon from my home. It

kinda feels like home when I use them.


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The main kitchen equipment in student flats is usually provided by the landlord. The

objects students bring therefore tend to be very personal and reflect their cultural

backgrounds and cuisines. The three students living in Islington each carried their own

rice cooker with them, all the way from China.

Echos rice cooker [Islington]: It is very old, because my Mum and Dad used it.

Panel 7 Dont touch my mug

Do you have a favourite mug at home?

Would you use it for your guests?

The first thing people tend to do when a visitor comes round is offer them a drink. Cups

and mugs are therefore associated with the social side of homes.

However, look in a student bedroom and there is often one mug that is never left in the

kitchen cupboard. The students often become attached to their mug as a physical link to

their past homes, or as a reflection of their personal style.

Natasha [Camden]: Its incredible how I wont take it out, just because if they break i t, I really

like it.

Jamie [Barnet]: I got that mug from a girlfriend, from America. Id seen it and thought it was

the best thing Id ever seen. I think the handle is on the verge of breaking, it has been us ed so

often. It has a picture of American writers, with their names all round the side.

Panel 8 Carrying home across borders

If you were going to live abroad for a year

which objects would you take with you?

It is a common feeling to want familiar objects that make us feel at home. Living in a

temporary home, often in a foreign country, makes students even more aware of this.

Many of the students described the personal objects they carried to London with them.

These priceless objects connect them to their families and help them feel comfortable.


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Echo[Islington]: I have a little Buddha made from jade. It is a gift from my Mum to bless me

as I am far away from home and she is worried about me.

[Link to website]

Students also do not wish to place these objects in the shared spaces. Sebastians differing

attitude towards his guitar and record player demonstrates this.

Sebastian [Tower Hamlets] One personal object that I have in the shared space is the guitar

in the living room. I only recently put it there, I suddenly realised it would be nicer to share it

[under record player]At the beginning of the year Jack asked me to keep it in the living

room, and I preferred not to as I was worried about it getting broken

[link to website]

Panel 9 Where is Home?

What does home mean to you?

Is it the place where you were born or the place where you feel most comfortable?

For most of the participants the place they considered to be home is not where they

currently live, but their family home. A few, however, identified home as somewhere they

feel comfortable rather than a specific location.

Echo[Islington] : This is not my home I dont think I need to decorate it. I treat it as a placewhere I can sleep.

Jack [Tower Hamlets]: I dont have a location or place in mind I get the feeling Im always

moving on and Im very comfortable with that idea.Most of my personal objects that remind

me of home remind me of relationships.

Viewing their flat as accommodation rather than home impacts on students decoration.

Some choose only temporary decorations to brighten their rooms, such as postcards of

recent events.

[caption]This poster from Sophie and Sebastians room [Tower Hamlets] encapsulates thehomes temporary nature.

[caption]Natashas suitcases remain at the end of her bed. A common feature of studentbedrooms, they are a constant reminder that student homes are only temporary

accommodation. [Camden]


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[caption]The fridge in the Tower Hamlets flat is decorated with postcards and flyers fromevents the flatmates have been to together.

Panel 10 Turning a House into a Home

Time as a student is fleeting, but it is a key stage that shapes your identity while you try to

create a home away from home.

Personalizing your home helps others understand who you are and what you value. We all

want our home to reflect our character. We also want visual reminders of what is significant

to us.

For many students the decoration in their flats has emotional meaning for them and connects

them to their family homes.

Some of the students try to bring a feeling of home into their temporary households bydecorating it with life-giving features like flowers.

Wouldyou agree that Its the little things that make a house a home?

Alessandra [Barnet]:I try to make the place where I live a comfortable place, where I like to

relax and that reminds me of my true orreal home which is where my parents live.

[caption]The row of plant pots on the kitchen windowsill of the Islington flat attempt to

bring a feeling of home into this temporary accommodation.

Panel 11 Living in London is a Gastronomic Adventure

You live in a truly cosmopolitan metropolis!

Londons students arrive in a city where food from all over the world is available easily and

cheaply. The kitchen in student homes becomes a key zone of cultural exchange, where

students can experiment with these different cuisines and tastes.

Thats the recipe: you can mix the cultures in one kitchen and taste the whole world.

Echo[Islington]: I mix salad, pizza or cake with Chinese food, I eat them together


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Weijia [Islington]:I cook the Italian noodles in Chinese way, with Chinese sauces. Chinese

style Italian noodles

Not all students are persuaded though. Some choose to stick with the food they know, and

dont want the bother of cooking.

Yiyuvan [Islington]: I dont even cook, I go to Chinese restaurant everyday

Panel 12 Flatmates into Friends

Sophie:Home is a place where I feel safe with family or people I call family.

The objects and decorations students put in their homes can only go so far towards making

them comfortable. For a sense of place, the real key is the people they live with and the

relationships that they make. This creates attachment to the home and the city.

Despite hectic university schedules and diverse flatmates, many students feel that they

have created a home together. They forge friendships that can act like family in this

temporary home, and may last well beyond the time spent sharing the flat together.

Sebastian [Tower Hamlets]: What makes me feel most at home is spending a day at uni, and

you come back and, although we dont cook together that much, we often eat together and sit

in the living room and talk or watch something on the projector and switch off from uni.

[caption]The coffee table at Tower Hamlets has DVDs and board games that bring the

students together.


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APPENDIX 3.7.8 INITIAL EXHIBITION MATERIAL SELECTION

The chart below was also submitted by ET to their GM counterpart so that the panel text

and image captions could be seen alongside their accompanying visuals.

This chart contains all the text, images and captions ET are thinking of using in theexhibition. It also includes design guidelines where appropriate.

The numbering of the panels is based on number one being the first panel at the bottom of

the stairs, with the numbering going from right to left around the exhibition space, as per

the diagram in appendix The exhibition areas are divided into:

Area 1 - The first wall panel at the bottom of the stairs

Area 2- Glass covered panels 2-5

Art room

Area 3 Glass covered panels 6-9

Art room

Area 4 Glass covered panels 10-12

Each section of the chart includes:

- panel number- theme of the panel- panel text including title, body and image captions- photographs being used

[Notes in this format are the design guidelines, or any additional notes, not to be included

in the panel text.]

Exhibition Area 1: Wall Panel at the bottom of the stairs

Panel 1 [Theme - Introduction]

[Title ] Who stole my milk?

Exploring student homes in London


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[1 group photo of

UCL Project Team to be

acquired]

As part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiads Stories of the

World: London programme the Geffrye Museum andMasters students from UCLs Institute of Archaeology are

exploring what makes student homes in London unique.

This exhibition explores the themes of conflict,

compromise, friendship and cultural exchange within

the shared spaces of student homes. It also investigates

what impact the unavoidable temporary nature of

student homes has on their contents and their

inhabitants. It considers how far a students belongings

represent a longing for their past homes.

You will see how cooking, decorations, social customs

and personal objects come together in the students

attempt to create a new identity in a home away from

home.

This exhibition is based on the stories of fourteenstudents who live in different London boroughs. The

UCL team visited each of the flats to interview the

participants and photograph their homes. We would like

to thank all the participants for sharing their homes and

stories with us.

[Photograph captions in the order shown are:]

Tower Hamlets

Barnet

Islington

Camden


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Exhibition Area 2: Panels 2 5

The two communication messages below are introduced in this section.

Communication Message 1:

Shared space in student homes in London in 2012 is a unique arena in which

students from all over the world compromise, often form friendships, and potentially

come into conflict.


Both practical objects and those of sentimental value found in student homes are the

material elements which connect students to past homes.

The first two panels in this section of the exhibition deal with conflict and

compromise, two of the three major elements of communication message 1. We have

decided to move the theme of friendship to panel 12 in order to end the exhibition

on an upbeat note. As the audience are not aware of the grouping of our

communication messages we are hoping that this will not be a problem.

As a result, the theme of objects (communication message 2) is introduced on panel

5, with reference to academic-related decoration. This has allowed practical kitchen

and personally sentimental objects to be grouped together within the next section of

the exhibition between the two art rooms (panels 6-8).

Panel 2 [Theme introduction to the participants]

[title] Meet the students

Tower Hamlet

Sophie is a French student who is doing apostgraduate degree in Politics. She has recently

moved to the flat to live with her boyfriend

Sebastian.

Jack is British. He is doing a postgraduate degree in


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Economic History.

Sebastian is from Germany and is a postgraduate

student in Development Management.

Ted is American [waiting for more information

from DSHT]

Barnet

Gabrielle is Italian and is doing a PhD in

Biochemistry / Molecular Biology.

Alessandra is also Italian. She is also doing her PhD

in Biochemistry / Molecular Biology.

Jamie is British and is doing a PhD in Archaeology.


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Islington

Alan is studying for a Masters in Finance.

Echo comes from China like all the others studentsin this house. She studies Cultural Heritage.

Yiyuvan is studying for a degree in Chemical

Engineering.

Weijia is a postgraduate student on an Executive

Leadership Programme.

Camden

Tuan comes from Vietnam. He studies architecture.

Hoa studies Finance. She shares the room with her

boyfriend Tuan. She is also Vietnamese.

Natasha comes from Malta. She is doing an MBA

within the Health Care Services.


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Panel 3 [Theme potential for conflict]

[Title] Living with Complete Strangers

[Introductory Questions]

Imagine yourself as a student coming to London, a

city where you know no-one.

You find yourself living with people you have

never met before.

[Chunk one]

Sharing a house with others can be a lot of fun and

a great way to make lifelong friendships. But there

are also the realities of daily life - splitting the bills,

noisy parties or whose turn it is to buy the milk.

Would these lead to conflict or compromise?

Sophie [Tower Hamlets]: I had very nice

experiences of flat sharing. But I can see how it

would be a problem if I was sharing a flat with

people I didnt like, or if I wasnt on the same page

as them, I would hate it.


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Hoa [Camden]: I dont mind sharing my cooking

equipment with my flatmates but it depends on the

personality.

Yiyuyan [Islington]:I dont like to share house with

others but still get along well with my flatmates and

feel comfortable here.

[caption] One person buys a large carton of milk

and half the shelf is full! Space in the fridge can be

a source of conflict in student homes.

[caption] The one female flatmate in Barnet,

Alessandra, posts an evocative poster on the boys

bathroom.


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Panel 4 [Theme: Compromise]

[Title] My space, your space

[Introductory question]

How would you feel if your bedroom was also a

shared living room?

[Chunk one]

Shared living always requires compromise. Studenthouses are unique arenas where people with

different lifestyles and backgrounds try and create a

home together. The students find that being

considerate towards their flatmates and respecting

their space is vital in creating a happy home.

Jack [Tower Hamlets]: The philosophy of the flat is

sharing and caring.

[Chunk two]

The Tower Hamlets flat in particular requires a lot of

compromise, as Jacks bedroom is also the living

room. As they knew each other before living

together the students feel that they have successfullyachieved this. Even though they dont have any set

flat rules, they are each aware of their

responsibilities and boundaries.


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Sophie [Tower Hamlets]: We intrude a lot by being

around already [in Jacks room], so I dont want to

leave anything around.

[caption] Floor Plan showing Jacks room/living

room, drawn by Sophie.


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[caption] Jacks room/living room

[caption] A detail from Sophie and Sebastians Room.

They keep their belongings in their personal space.

Panel 5 [Theme academic-related decoration, and how this

connects student homes to students wider lives]

[Title] Bringing university home

[Introductory questions] Does home represent an escape from work?

Or is it a more comfortable place to study?


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[Chunk one]

Looking around the flats reveals that the students

really are interested in their subjects. Many bring

academic-related decoration into this most intimate

space, the home.

[Caption] Alessandra [Barnet]: We have a shower

curtain that is a periodic table. Gabriele, one of four

scientists living in the flat, shows the curtain to our

interviewers.

[Chunk two] The bedroom doubling as a study is a familiar

feature for students of all ages. Whether at school,

home, or away at university, their books and

computers become an important feature of their

rooms.


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[photograph of Weijia with his laptop visible is to be

arranged]

[caption]Weijia [Islington]: The laptop is a mostimportant machine to contact family and friends

and for my studies. It is the laptop his parents

bought for him when he first went to university. As

both a personal and academic object, he does not

want other students in the flat to use it.

[caption]Sophie [Tower Hamlets] with her academic

year planner.


Panels 6-8 refer to communication message 2. Panel 9 begins to introduce the last

communication message on the temporary nature of student homes.


Both practical objects and those of sentimental value found in student homes are thematerial elements which connect students to past homes.


Students experience their homes in London as temporary, but find thatthese homes

and their stay in the city have permanent effects ontheir identity and practices.


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Panel 6 [Theme: Practical objects that connect

students to their past homes, focusing on

the kitchen]

[Title] Cooking up memories

[Introductory questions] Would you ever view your cutlery

sentimentally?

Would this change if you had to share a

kitchen?

[Chunk one] Like any household, kitchen utensils are

essential objects for daily living in student

homes. We mostly use them without giving

them much thought. However as so much instudent kitchens have to be shared with

strangers, the simplest everyday objects can

take on a higher significance.

[caption]Jamie [Barnet]: For some reason I

have brought a knife, a fork and a spoon

from my home. It kinda feels like home when

Iuse them.


36/46


[chunk two] The main kitchen equipment in student

flats is usually provided by the landlord.

The objects students bring therefore tend to

be very personal and reflect their culturalbackgrounds and cuisines. The three

students living in Islington each carried

their own rice cooker with them, all the way

from China.

[caption]Echos rice cooker [Islington]: It is

very old, because my Mum and Dad used it.

Panel 7 [Theme: Practical objects that connect students

to their past homes, focusing on mugs. Often a

kitchen object, but here a part of students

bedrooms]

[Title] Dont touch my mug

[Introductory questions] Do you have a favourite mug at home?

Would you use it for your guests?


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[Chunk one]

The first thing people tend to do when a visitor

comes round is offer them a drink. Cups andmugs are therefore associated with the social

side of homes.

However, look in a student bedroom and there

is often one mug that is never left in the kitchen

cupboard. The students often become attached

to their mug as a physical link to their past

homes, or as a reflection of their personal style.

[caption]Natasha [Camden]: Its incredible how

I wont take it out, just because if they break it, I

really like it.

[caption]Jamie [Barnet]: I got that mug from a

girlfriend, from America. Id seen it and thought

it was the best thing Id ever seen. I think the

handle is on the verge of breaking, it has been

used so often. It has a picture of American

writers, with their names all round the side.


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Panel 8 [Theme: Objects of sentimental value that connect

students to past homes]

[Title] Carrying home across borders

[Introductory Question] If you were going to live abroad for a year

which objects would you take with you?

[Chunk one] It is a common feeling to want familiar objects that

make us feel at home. Living in a temporary home,

often in a foreign country, makes students even

more aware of this.

Many of the students described the personal objects

they carried to London with them. These priceless

objects connect them to their families and help them

feel comfortable.

[caption]Echo[Islington]: I have a little Buddha made

from jade. It is a gift from my Mum to bless me as I am

far away from home and she is worried about me.

[Link to website for more information]


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[Chunk two]

Students also do not wish to place these objects in

the shared spaces. Sebastians differing attitude

towards his guitar and record player demonstrates

this.

[caption]Sebastian [Tower Hamlets]: One personal

object that I have in the shared space is the guitar in

the living room. I only recently put it there, I suddenly

realised it would be nicer to share it

[photograph of Sebastians record

player to be acquired]

[caption]At the beginning of the year Jack asked me

to keep it in the living room, and I preferred not to as I

was worried about it getting broken.

[link to website]

Panel 9 [Theme exploration of what students consider

home to be, and the temporary decoration they

choose]

[Title] Where is home?

[Introductory questions


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What does home mean to you?

Is it the place where you were born or the place

where you feel most comfortable?

[Chunk one]

For most of the participants the place they

considered to be home is not where they currently

live, but their family home. A few, however,

identified home as somewhere they feel

comfortable rather than a specific location.

Echo[Islington]: This is not my home I dont

think I need to decorate it. I treat it as a place where

I can sleep.

[caption]Jack [Tower Hamlets]: I dont have a

location or place in mind I get the feeling Im

always moving on and Im very comfortable with

that idea.

Most of my personal objects that remind me of home

remind me of relationships.

[chunk two] Viewing their flat as accommodation rather than

home impacts on students decoration. Some

choose only temporary decorations to brighten

their rooms, such as postcards of recent events.


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[captions]

This poster from Sophie and Sebastians room

[Tower Hamlets] encapsulates the homes

temporary nature.

Natashas suitcases remain at the end of her bed. Acommon feature of student bedrooms, they are a

constant reminder that student homes are only

temporary accommodation. [Camden]

The fridge in the Tower Hamlets flat is decorated

with postcards and flyers from events the flatmates


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have been to together.


(NB: communication message 3 has been started to the right of the last artroom to give us

four panels to explore this message.)


Students experience their homes in London as temporary, but find thatthese homes

and their stay in the city have permanent effects ontheir identity and practices.

Panel 10 [Theme How students decorate their rooms in a

style that reflects their more permanent homes and

cultures]

[Title] Turning a house into a home

Time as a student is fleeting, but it is a key stage that

shapes your identity while you try to create a home

away from home.

Personalizing your home helps others understand

who you are and what you value. We all want ourhome to reflect our character. We also want visual

reminders of what is significant to us.

For many students the decoration in their flats has

emotional meaning for them and connects them to

their family homes.

Some of the students try to bring a feeling of home

into their temporary households by decorating it

with life-giving features like flowers.

Would you agree that Its the little things that make


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a house a home?

[caption]

Alessandra [Barnet]:I try to make the place where I

live a comfortable place, where I like to relax and that

reminds me of my true or real home which is where

my parents live.

[caption]

The row of plant pots on the kitchen windowsill of

the Islington flat attempt to bring a feeling of

home into this temporary accommodation.

Panel 11 [Theme: Londons impact on cultural exchange

through food in the student kitchens]

[Title] Living in London is a Gastronomic Adventure

[Introduction] You live in a truly cosmopolitan metropolis!


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[Chunk one]

Londons students arrive in a city where food from

all over the world is available easily and cheaply.

The kitchen in student homes becomes a key zone of

cultural exchange, where students can experimentwith these different cuisines and tastes.

Thats the recipe: you can mix the cultures in one

kitchen and taste the whole world.

[caption] Echo[Islington]: I mix salad, pizza or cake

with Chinese food, I eat them together.

[caption] Wijia [Islington]- I cook the Italian noodles

in Chinese way, with Chinese sauces. Chinese style

Italian noodles.


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[Chunk two] Not all students are persuaded though. Some choose

to stick with the food they know, and dont want the

bother of cooking.

[caption] Yiyuvan [Islington]- I dont even cook, I go

to Chinese restaurant everyday

Panel 12 [Theme friendship]

[Title]

Flatmates into Friends

[Introductory quote]

Sophie:Home is a place where I feel safe

with family or people I call family.

[Chunk one]

The objects and decorations students put in their

homes can only go so far towards making them

comfortable. For a sense of place, the real key is the


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people they live with and the relationships that they

make. This creates attachment to the home and the

city.

Despite hectic university schedules and diverse

flatmates, many students feel that they have created

a home together. They forge friendships that can act

like family in this temporary home, and may last well

beyond the time spent sharing the flat together.

[caption]

The coffee table at Tower Hamlets has DVDs and

board games that bring the students together.

[caption]

Sebastian [Tower Hamlets]: What makes me feel

most at home is spending a day at uni, and you come

back and, although we dont cook together that much,

we often eat together and sit in the living room and

talk or watch something on the projector and switch

off from uni.

16 - team progress - et

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