One Below the Queen:
Rowley Way Speaks for Itself
We now have two edited versions, a full length version and a shorter version of the original film, which may be more suitable for people who do not have a connection with the estate.
Short Version
Click here to see it.
Full Length Version
Click here to watch it.
You can download the accompanying booklet by clicking the picture below.
What do you think of the film?
Find out what residents of the estate think of the film and add your own comments. A Blog has been set up connected to the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate's own website set up by the TRA. Click here to visit the Blog or Click here to visit the resident's website.
About the Film Project
Between November 2009 and April 2010 a group of residents living on the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate (often know as Rowley Way) in NW London worked with the arts and education charity digital:works to make a film about their estate. The incredible Grade II* listed building features frequently in TV dramas and architecture journals and the intention of the film was to give residents themselves the opportunity to explore the ideas behind the design of the estate and to examine people's actual experience living on the estate related to those ideas.
Resident Matthew Rosenberg and his colleague Sav Kyriacou, both participation workers with digital:works, set up and coordinated the project working with 11 fellow residents to make the film. digital:works ran workshops in which the group discussed and decided on the direction of the project and then learnt practical film making skills, operating the camera and sound, and also interview techniques. Over the following 12 weeks the group broke up into smaller units and went out and interviewed 35 fellow residents across the estate aged 3 to 103. The architect Neave Brown was interviewed to find out what his ideas were and to get a sense of the culture and politics that surrounded the planning and building of the estate. In addition the engineer for the building, Max Fordham, and landscape designer Janet Jack were interviewed.
Some of the film group
Marcel Braithwaite, Seamus Deichunty, Ann Franklin, Abdullahi Hassan, Stephen Herman, Jack Kelly, Tiffany McGee, Phil Oman, Doreen Parker, Amin Saatchi.
These interviews are all included in the film, along with scenes of the estate. The soundtrack is also from the estate, composed and recorded by a resident musician, Huck Whitney.
The result is an exploration of the estate, by people living on it. "Rowley Way Speaks for Itself!".
Please note! The estate is officially known as the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate. Rowley Way is actually just one section of the estate, and many people incorrectly call the whole estate by this name. When discussing the name for the project, the film makers felt that because many local people know the estate as Rowley Way it would be okay, and a catchier title, to call it Rowley Way Speaks for itself. So apologies to those of you who are irritated that the estate is constantly referred to incorrectly! And journalists and architects please take note.
A big thank-you to the many many residents who responded so enthusiastically to the idea of the film and to all those who agreed to be interviewed.
The film was launched at the Tricycle Cinema on Saturday 15th May and the whole estate was invited. 230 people came and participated in a Q&A with the film makers and architect. Following this, a DVD of the film along with a booklet with images and a history of the estate were delivered to each household of the listed buildings.
You can view the film above. Please download the PDF booklet for a history of the estate.
Project Diary
We kept a diary of the project which you can see here along with some additional interviews with Neave Brown not included in the film.
Project Diary
Residents on the Alexandra and Ainsworth Estate have built their own website with information about the estate. It contains a gallery, history as well as information on what is going on there. Click here to see it.