With the prospect of a large chunk of Crystal Palace Park being handed over to a Chinese developer to build a vast new palace, a group of residents has started The Information Project to publicise the possibilities for the park and to help create a debate about the identity of community, place, culture and design for the 21st century.

One of the neglected statues from the original Crystal Palace on the terraces overlooking the park: a residents’ group is staging debates to help shape their future

The first debate is scheduled for Wednesday, April 30.

The programme of debates will feature architects, developers, planners, politicians and London-based broadcasters, thinkers and writers. There are also plans to include local residents in what they call “a visioning exercise”.

Noreen Meehan, the chair of the Crystal Palace Overground Festival and one of the project organisers, said, “Crystal Palace is an extraordinary place to live, with myriad aspects to its cultural heritage. The park has been the scene for many of these activities. The debates and events we are organising will draw thinkers and experts into a conversation about what the future should be for this enigmatic and beloved space and what culture actually means during our lifetime.”

Local architects Dagmar and Christopher Binsted are co-curators of the debates.

Debate 1: Who owns culture? Park, space, building

April 30, 7.30pm, Salvation Army Worship Hall, Westow Street, Upper Norwood

Chair: Cany Ash, founding partner of multi-award-winning architects, Ash Sakula

Panellists:
Douglas Murphy – architect and writer, his blog covers architecture, music politics and philosophy and he is the architecture correspondent for Icon Magazine

Val Shawcross, London Assembly member for Southwark and Lambeth

Tom Brown, an author, his novel Strange Air is a chilling Victorian fairytale set in Crystal Palace Park

Gus Zogolovitch, managing director, Solidspace – an established design-led developer

• Assembly Member calls Chinese Palace plans ‘a fiasco’
• Public only get to peek in at the uncertain Palace plans
• Community group rejects Crystal Palace plan as “a fantasy”
• Chinese government has role in £500m Crystal Palace scheme
• Boris accused over “secret” £500m Chinese takeaway

Coming to Croydon

• Arts and Crafts Market, Exchange Square, Apr 19
• Private Peaceful, Charles Cryer Theatre, Apr 23-26
• Alison, A Rock Opera, Spread Eagle Theatre, Apr 23-26
• David Lean Cinema: Short Term, Apr 24
• Stop The Incinerator Beer and Bingo fund-raiser, Apr 28
• Hauntology – the architecture of Croydon, Apr 5-May 2
• Norwood Society Talk: West Norwood – a place of change, May 15
• Croydon RFC charity memorial day, May 17
• Norwood Society Talk: The Concrete Church, June 19
• Crystal Palace Overground Festival, June 26-29
• Norwood Society Talk: War Memorials, Sep 18
• Norwood Society Talk: From Fire Station to Theatre, Oct 16
• Norwood Society Talk: Lambeth’s Archives, Nov 20

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