Bird Box Avenue Directory Exhibition dates: 26th August – 10th September Discover a miniature neighbourhood for Chobham Manor, Stratford East Village
Bird Box Avenue is an Artillery neighbourhood project, part of Our Living Art, commissioned by Chobham Manor LLP and delivered in
Acknowledgements Our warm thanks goes to the following people for helping this project get airborne: Adriana Marques, Alice Strutt, Alok Shah, Boniek Forbes, Bradley Duncan, Chiara Malerba, Dan Stowell, Deb Scott, Emily Gilchrist, Emily Morshuis, Emma Chan, Emma McGovern, Eva Smith, Evelyn McGuire, Frances Easter-Brennan, Graham Hodgkiss, Groundwork, Hannah Ford, Harriet Warden, Ive Farm Pocket Park, Jim Jack, Ken Marshall, Laura Kerry, Lee Murrell, Lewin Saggers, Lily Nicholls, Lisa Wallace, Lorraine Cox, Maud GambierEllis, Marie-Jo Wilson, Mel Wilds, Michael Jones, Michelle Reader, Norman Saggers, Organiclea, PavĂŠ Velo, Sandie M Sutton, Sean Gifford, Simona Pesce, The Mill-Coppermill, Tim Mitchell, Toby Poolman, Victoria Robinson Print and Digital Design: April Photography: Penny Dampier Signwriting: John Lee Bird and Suey Sue Project co-ordination: Morag McGuire, Artillery CIC
Bird Box Avenue – Discover a 100+ new homes and small businesses nestling in the streets of Chobham Manor. This summer artists and residents built, renovated and re-imagined bird boxes at three open-air workshops to create this flamboyant collection of properties.
Share your enjoyment of the Bird Box Avenue exhibition in our facebook group: birdboxavenuechobhammanor
We especially thank the makers, and their families, who joined our carpenters, sculptors and decorative artists in the construction and creation of these unique Bird Box Avenue properties.
Bird Box Avenue Directory
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Bird Box Avenue Exhibition Map
This map highlights which streets, or parts of streets you will discover Bird Box Avenue exhibits. Most exhibits you will encounter in the street as you walk around. You will also find exhibits in local bike shop, PavĂŠ Velo, and in the Chobham Manor Marketing Suite.
Mobile Garden City
ChoBham Manor Marketing Suite
PavĂŠ Velo Map source: OpenStreetMap CC BY-SA 2.0
Bird Box Avenue Directory
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Using the Bird Box Avenue directory Each Bird Box Avenue exhibit has an entry including a photograph. Each directory entry includes:
Bird Box title Maker’s name Type of property “Insight into the maker’s inspiration for the design”
Our directory is organised into sections defined by nestbox design.
Bird Box Avenue Directory sections
Our bird boxes are flamboyant follies, birds much prefer discreet nesting sites that are less likely to attract the attention of predators. None-the-less, our bird box base structures do follow certain guidelines issued by conservation organisations as to the size and design of a nestbox to suit certain urban dwelling birds. We found the British Trust for Ornithology’s Nestbox Guide especially useful, and also ActionforSwifts.blogspot.co.uk
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Swift nestbox Small open-fronted nestbox House Sparrow nestbox The one-size-fits-all nestbox The single use bird box The Great Tit nestbox Starling nestboxes Bird Box Builds from Elsewhere
Bird Box Avenue Directory
Swift nestbox – There is concern that Swift numbers are declining and some evidence that changes to building features such as eaves and construcution materials are limiting the opportunities for these cavity nesters to find places to nest. Conservation groups recommend high-sited nestboxes that mimic traditional in-eave nest sites. The nearby Walthamstow Wetlands, Europe’s newest and largest urban wetland nature reserve, has rebuilt a demolished industrial chimney as a Swift Tower with 54 nest boxes positioned throughout it’s 24m.
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: Swift nestbox
DunMigratin Andy Richford A swift’s private residence
Berdy Bocsyyyyyy Daniel & Nathan A swift residence ‘Don’t know! Birdy Boxy!’
Las Stratford Gdansk Fatima Mr & Mrs Swift’s private house ‘I wanted it to be beautiful and gold ’
woven swift box Sandie M Sutton sandiemsutton.com
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Bird Box Avenue Directory
Small open-fronted nestbox – These boxes could be occupied by Robins if it is fixed somewhere very discreet, Robins are notoriously secretive about their nest sites and will not occupy anything in plain sight. By contrast pied wagtails are incredibly flexible about their nest sites and could happily take to an open fronted nestbox sited pretty much anywhere.
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: Small open-fronted nestbox
Rosie’s House Catarina Alves Pirie Rosie the bird and her friends “My mum”
The Love Box David Mr & Mrs Robin’s private home “Rustic farmhouse themes with a hint of snow tigers and Poland ”
Birds only Ethan Pesce Edozie My bird’s house is for small birds only, birds like robins “The Italian ELG9”
Mickki - Hopeful Robins “Looking for something 2do”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: Small open-fronted nestbox
untitled Karleen Roberts “I thought about houses in the UK and Caribbean. Walls made of brick in the UK and painted colours in the Caribean. My family has migrated back and forth over 3 generations. However, at times I have felt safe in either country. Home is where feels safe when the door is closed.”
untitled Leon JT
Birdish Box Naomi Kane www.doloresrocket.com I think something quite fearsome and deluded might live inside. I don’t want to meet them. “It’s a box with aspirations of flight inspired by its function “
Budgee House Oliver Red Robin “I love animals”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: Small open-fronted nestbox
Letterbox in blue sky Steve It’s a private residence for wagtails “My wife “
The Birds House - Tamera It’s a private residence for a sparrow
Cloud of Birds - Tomas Alves Pirie Robin and Birdman “self-inspiration”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory
House Sparrow nestbox – The House Sparrow is now on the ‘red list’ meaning the population has steeply declined in recent decades. The House Sparrow favours a 32mm entrance hole, and many will happily colonise terraces of boxes positioned side by side.
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: House Sparrow nestbox
untitled - Abdellah a bird “the heart”
London Fancy House - Ali Khawar Museum
Isobel Alice “Recycling”
Squat Alok Birds with no nest, it is an open house for everyone. “Housing crisis”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: House Sparrow nestbox
untitled - anonymous
untitled - anonymous
untitled - anonymous
Birdie Eagle Armaan Sharma Birdie & Eagle & Ants “I like blue�
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: House Sparrow nestbox
The Modular Mansion for Avian Family Expansion - David Hobson Stylish and modern songbirds with interest in durability and acoustics “All wood and slate (natural materials) in the spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright. Durable. Weatherproof yet breathable. Hopefully a happy home for many generations to come.”
The DN Box - Deen Ali & Numan Ali Family “Roses”
Bird House H Aziz Fun
Jeff Hamza Birds, any flying animal “Lots of birds in E20”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: House Sparrow nestbox
The Rainbow Tweeter - Haris Ali Family Rainbow
Tummy Tree House Jake Bennett Bird cafĂŠ Colourfully
UNTITLED - Leon
The octo-birdbox Lewin All the octonauts and their gups live in it
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: House Sparrow nestbox
Emma Micheal It’s a home “This is for any bird to come in”
In the tall blue grass - Nathan Easter Brennan Every bird welcome “We like green & red & blue”
Ludovico - Paolo Villiotta It’s a residence
untitled - Rhianne Leslie Birds
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: House Sparrow nestbox
Birdie Box - Simrah A family “Colourful ”
Migration Bird Box Thalia Warren Commuters’ private residence “The lovely maps that were with all the weaving materials”
Happy Shelter Box - Yoan Little birds “A water wheel ”
Zaynah’s Patterns Zaynah A private residence for birds “Creative ideas from class”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory
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The onesize-fitsall nestbox – The entrance hole on this ready built bird box is larger than most small urban birds would like according to research by the British Trust for Ornithology. But birds have an instinct for nest renovations, and some may choose to reduce the hole size by sticking mud around it.
Bird Box Avenue Directory: Directory One-size-fits-all nestbox
Adams box Adam Birds “Avengers”
Sweet Heart Home Alexandra Alves Everyone “hearts”
New York Battle House Ali Khawar Owl
Sunflower garden Angelina Silman Bird families and friends “These are my favourite colours and I like sunshine”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: One-size-fits-all nestbox
My Bird Home anonymous
Pirate House Asiya Khawar Kakadu
untitled Catherine
Eco House Ethan & Laura A home for all birds “Our design includes feeders and water collecting features�
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: Directory One-size-fits-all nestbox
Warblr Florence and Dan warblr.net A business specialising in bird sound recognition. It is run by a skylark and a magpie. For more information about using your phone for songbird recognition visit: warblr.net “Bird sounds”
Green-house - Hanna Private residence, for a family of starlings “Nature”
Bird Box - Imaad “Small birds”
J for Jasper Jasper home bird “heron”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: One-size-fits-all nestbox
The Mad Hut - Laura Private, though everyone’s invited! “The song “Flamingo” by Keno Keno Bonito!”
elza Renaé Butterflies and birds “My brain”
untitled Savvy
Spoty Summer - Scarlett Garcia
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: Directory One-size-fits-all nestbox
The Migration Hotel Simona Pesce This is a self managed shelter occupied by migrants, refugees, (EU residents after Brexit) Recent social-political events which point f ingers at ‘others’ and ignores their most basic need of shelter and dignity and a bit of play and colour for the little ones to recover from their daily stress.
Pidgey Umamah Tarvala Private residence I own a pet pigeon. I wanted to make it nature friendly. Save the pigeons.
Elza Yasmin Fazal My crow Mummy
Bird King - Zainab & Muhamad Birds Birds
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: One-size-fits-all nestbox
Bird Hut - Zoe a home
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Bird Box Avenue Directory
The singleuse bird box
– These cardboard nestboxes are just about adequate for a single brood. A more permanent nesting offer is more likely to attract a feathered resident.
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: The single-use bird box
Foreign invaders Inky cuttlefish www.inkycuttlefish.com
Forest Linda Green A family of Blue Tits “I love walking in Epping Forest, I enjoy the trees, the dappled light, the peace and quiet broken only by the song and call of the birds – robins, thrushes, blackbirds, blue tits, wood pigeons and the knock of woodpeckers. This home from home brings a feel of the forest into our urban environment and I think a pair of blue tits will quickly move in.” The Bird Hide Damian Strawbridge Human Spotters! “A place for birds to hide and watch humans - to see how many different types of people they can spot!”
untitled Jessica Widdows ofcabbagesandkings.co.uk A pair of Magpies – two for joy! “I gathered together things from around my desk – magpie style to cobble this together.”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: The single-use bird box
untitled - Della Rees www.dellarees.com
Home Tweet Home Alex Bell facebook: AlexBellPhotography2 Lots of little wild beasts living in harmony.
“I am not a birdbox!” - Dean Blunkell www.deanblunkell.co.uk A revolutionary RED robin. “In the box is a revolutionary RED robin who has an interest in changing the world, he is keen that his home makes a strong architectural statement, I dare to be different, and come the revolution everyone will have the opportunity to do the same. he said.” FLIGHT LINES Penny Fielding facebook: Penny Fielding House Doctor It would be occupied by a home loving nomad. “The bird box design is inspired by the rhythms embedded in randomness.”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory
The Great Tit Nestbox
– The British Trust for Ornithology recommend slight variations in entrance hole size depending on the species you’re hoping to see use the nest. These could be especially suitable for Great Tits who apparently have a preference for an entrance diameter of 28mm.
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Bird Box Avenue Directory:The Great Tit nestbox
The Marsh Box - Frances Easter Brennan It’s a drop in community space for birds to hang out and chat. “The local flora and fauna found when walking on the marshes/canals.”
Reclaimed House Sandie M Sutton sandiemsutton.com My animal spirit. A small industrious, chirpy bird with colour coordinated feathers who sublets this residence to hibernating bees during her winter migration. “Household plastic waste. There’s so much waste plastic coming up with inventive ways to reuse it is an on going challenge.”
The Red House - Alessandra Rigillo Me “Knitting and Crochetting making me feel at home”
untitled - Alicia Perry
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Bird Box Avenue Directory:The Great Tit nestbox
Cobwebs House - Clair Chevantré It is the home of fairy cobweb
Bird Box Beach Hut Claire Binns The people who occupy it are permanently on holiday. “It is inspired by British seaside and deckchairs! And my love of fabric, in particular blue and white striped cloth which appears in some form in almost every room in my house!”
The Story of the Princess of Moons Emma Ghafur, Tiger Monkey www.tigermonkey-uk.com An Indian Princess “My heritage is Bangladeshi and English. I wanted to make something colourful inspired by Bollywood, Indian culture and stories like Arabian Nights. I started by spraying the box, then painted it and the characters and story took shape, I added bindis for extra sparkle.” untitled’ Hannah McAlpine An expectant Robin... “Finding treasure in unexpected places. The preciousness of life. Hidden Gold.”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory:The Great Tit nestbox
Hotel Jon Lambert “A hotel on Park Lane. A sofa in Enf ield. The f irst is where my grandfather lived. The second is where I seem to live. A room of one’s own in the city of one’s own is a dream most of us can’t afford to realise. In the age of Occupy vs Capitalism the Monopoly hotel is a totem, a fantasy and a site of occupation.”
Bird Beach Hut Julie Caves Town birds visiting the seaside for the day. “Inspired by colours, shapes and stripes. I knew what I wanted to do to the birdhouse the minute I saw it. Wide stripes in red and white with a sky blue roof. I thought red would look striking in a green tree, stripes would be visible from a distance and a blue roof would reference the sky. I spent a lot of time preparing the surface to make the edges level and ready for the paint.” Twitter Box Liam Crowe www.doloresrocket.com Someone who likes tweeting of course! “I’ve worked a lot around circuit boards and the green of the lid reminded me of the green of the circuit board. After painting the whole thing green I thought I wanted to pay tribute to the fact that my mentor dolores rocket had just started tweeting [when I made this in 2012]. I couldn’t find a 140 character bird quote so the Langston Hughes verse must suffice. I think my sensitive side might surprise her.” Its all about the birds and the bees Mrs Julie Whelan Gremlins, fairies, dwarfs and even pixies! “I’m a botanical artist living in, and creating artworks in Enf ield Lock, Middlesex. I love anything to do with the natural world and nature in general. I work mainly with watercolour which is a perfect medium for capturing mother nature. In 2016 I was elected a Member of the Society of Botanical Artists.”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory:The Great Tit nestbox
Johnny Cougars lair Original Army facebook: TheOriginalArmy Mini wrestlers “Inspired by 1950/60s pop culture, the American dream”
Untitled Rebecca Intravarant
Ivy Entwined Rosie Frater-Taylor A Blue Tit “Inspired by our backgarden and my love of nature and art.”
The little house in the forest - Sanna Panda www.sannapanda.com Sanna and her bear panda “Inspired by childhood memories of summers spent in my mother’s native Finland and this started my obsession with wooden houses.”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory:The Great Tit nestbox
Gone to the Party Zoe White
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Bird Box Avenue Directory
Starling nestboxes
– With changes in building materials and design, Starlings have been struggling to find the number of nest sites needed in recent decades. These 45mm holeentrance nestboxes are good substitues for building cavaties. A gregarious bird, thay can be positioned in rows or clusters.
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Bird Box Avenue Directory:Starling nextboxes
Any birds Aimei Ng
Bird Hotel - Ebony Leslie Birds
The Brother’s Nest Imran & Yasser A business “Colours and Pirates”
The Bird House - Kaelan Story book
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Bird Box Avenue Directory:Starling nextboxes
Power Rangers - Leah & Christopher Private home for family of robins “Bright and colourful to attract robins”
Sun Hour Niyah Ewer Real birds “I like the sun and the outdoors”
untitled Pat Morrison Private residence for a parrot
Rosie Safiyah K Shaikh and Daddy Private residence for sparrows, robins, finches “Imagination”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory:Starling nextboxes
My feather friends Susanna Goh Sparrow, blue tit’s private residence “My fantasy of living with feather friends!”
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Bird Box Avenue Directory
Bird BOx BUilds from Elsewhere – Building a nestbox can be a very satisfying way of re-using off cuts and encouraging diversity in our urban ecology. Thank you to the Groundwork team at the Mobile Garden City and to the Forest Recycling Project for contributing properties from their workshops to this collection.
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Bird Box Avenue Directory
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Bird Box Avenue Directory: Bird Box Builds from Elsewhere
UNTITLED - Builders: John & the FRP carpentry team Decorators: Wren & Sarah The small feathered visitors to the Fyfield Community Garden stop by for a cup of worm tea at this gold roofed bird box. “Forest Recycling Project aims to reduce waste and reuse materials, such as scaffolding boards. The carpentry team then create items that will positively benef it the environment, by making bird boxes and bat boxes. FRP work alongside volunteers, usually vulnerable adults, to give them some experience of environmentally friendly work. They also offer food growing; retail in their recycled paint shop; conservation work and helping in their paint warehouse.”
Charleston - Rosalind King, applied design Mobile Garden City users, construction “Inspired by the Charleston farmhouse in Sussex where they decorate walls in a similar way. ”
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Bird Box Avenue is an Artillery neighbourhood project. Get in touch: events@artillery.org.uk www.artillery.org.uk facebook: ArtilleryNews twitter: ArtilleryArts
Bird Box Avenue is part of Our Living Art, commissioned by Chobham Manor LLP and delivered in partnership with LLDC.