Approaching Deptford Creek

Sounds collected as part of an MA research project exploring phenomenological approaches to thinking about the aesthetics and stewardship of public space. A sound gathered at the turning point leading walkers towards Deptford Creek - a narrow, sheltered waterway; an inlet and offshoot of London's snaking River Thames -, one of the most biodiverse landscapes for its size in London, and one of the rare 2% of Tidal Thames’ river edges to remain natural and undeveloped. The Norman Road entrance to this urban eco-site is elusive, veiled by various luxury flat complexes the walker becomes an intruder, as the the line between public and pseudo-public space becomes increasingly blurred. To reach the turning, the walker must first venture through the cacophony of commuter traffic combined with a tireless flow of construction vehicles, symptomatic of the untiring development projects absorbing public spaces in the Creekside area.