I’m in the final year of my PhD studies and while processing ‘official’ results of my studies, one of the greatest surprises for me from the process and work was learning how much I enjoy documenting residential narrative.
It was like opening a door to future paths, as I realized not only how much I enjoyed this work, but also how interesting this narrative, as a form of built environment and neighbourhood oral history, can be for recording and informing urban transformation.
The aspect of memory and documentation is central. For my process, creating an experience that is also memorable for people is critical as well.
Our daily life and experience of a community and place can affect so much- our affection for and attachment to that place, our investment in that place, our satisfaction, and our quality of life.
I strongly believe in the role of healthy, common-sense urban governance for sustainable, resilient communities and believe these narratives, gathered in a process prioritizing direct ‘bottom up’ engagement with locals of diverse backgrounds and generations, whose lives are set in these places, can be practical and profound.
You can view our history of workshop and urban lab activities at Pedestrian Space and via research work here: https://pedestrianspace.org/category/workshops/.
I look forward to future engagements and working with communities to engage locals of diverse backgrounds and generations in documenting urban memory, local challenges, potentials, and transformations.
Atelier of Life Notes is a newsletter began in January 2026 by photographer, writer, advocate, and scholar Annika Lundkvist to share notes and thoughts on work, positionality, process, and craft.
