Chichester research

"The relationship and intersections of these exoduses that intertwin and create an urban fabric, and placed under the sign of what ought to be, ultimatly, the place but is only a name; the city" (Certeau, 1988, p.103)

Chichester is a Market town and has been since 950 when it was first recognised as a flourishing Market town. Since then various markets and fairs have been held within Chichester carrying on the market town title along with it, and still now in 2012 there is a market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Due to this strong heritage of a Market Town for our final piece we will be looking into a trading system whereby we keep in touch with Chichester’s history of markets and trading but using it to reconnect the community. In doing so we are using our sites (Chichester) history as stimulus and inspiration for our piece therefore creating a site specific performance due to the embedded roots we will bring forward in the performance.

Chichester for many years has prided itself on the parks and rural areas in and surrounding it “The importance of parks and areas of green space to our quality of life is enormous. Attractive, safe and accessible parks and green spaces contribute to positive social, economic and environmental benefits improving public health, wellbeing and quality of life.” (http://www.chichester.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4116)

But over recent years the surge in the demand and supply of chain stores and convenient shopping areas within Chichester has increased dramatically. North, South, East and West Street are now decorated in commercial shops which dominate the City centre. Our final piece aims to highlight the hidden natural spaces and gardens within Chichester with the aim to reconnect the people to nature within the middle of Chichester’s town centre The Market Cross. We aim to do this by bringing nature back into the centre in form of a tree and highlight that the green spaces we have forgotten in Chichester can be a part of the advancing commercial times too.