Within the spaces you can see glimpse of the treasure thrown into the water many years ago, and a pirate ship buried beneath the already existing island which is rumoured to be guarded by the Lincoln Imp. The essence of the structure is that elements are suspended within a steel frame, lights and puppets hang creating a landscape of inspiration and stories. The main spaces such as the theatre and puppet pods appear to be suspended like giant puppet parts. By day the project’s users shall be children suffering from trauma.
For the 5000 children who have entered a period of being ‘in need’ in Lincolnshire this year, my project brings the notion of fantasy into the contemporary setting of Lincoln; they will enter a world that gives them opportunity to dream. Children will take a journey through the building, starting on a boat where they are transported to an island where they can create their own puppets and receive support from care-workers.
For the public, existing on the ground floor, elements of the materiality are translucent and allow the public to see the children through their shadows and puppetry only, before moving into the theater space where they can see the performance of Lincoln come to life with giant life-size puppets made in the workshops above.
For the children the building allows them to move through and grow with confidence, starting with small puppets and then helping them learn skills in the workshops where they can assist with running the theater production. To finish their journey, the children can throw their puppet into the water, making their wish. These puppets are in bottles that are sent towards PROJECT 2’S Dream Catcher and displayed in the town center.
