The Highrise Project

THE HIGHRISE PROJECT

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Everyone always argues where the boundaries are.

It’s a forgotten island

now. I want it to come back to life.

Lincoln Green is a mainly residential area of Leeds, West Yorkshire. It is positioned around Lincoln Green Road and is adjacent to St James’s University Hospital. It falls within the Burmantofts and Richmond Hill ward of Leeds City Council. The area was given this name in 1954, at the start of major redevelopment by the City Council. The Lincoln Green estate on the north side of Lincoln Green Road is mainly tower blocks and low-rise flats, which replaced the terraced houses known as New Town in about 1958, following the slum clearance.

Over half of Lincoln Green’s population is under 29 years old and over seventy five percent are under 39 which, by Leeds standards, is a very young population. There is also a very high proportion of 0 -9 year olds; which is almost twice the city average.

Eighty five percent of the housing in Lincoln Green is made up of flats and council rented property. There are above average numbers of households where income is low and energy costs are high. Forty nine percent of children in this small area live in poverty, compared to the twenty six percent Leeds average.

Leeds is home to over 140 different ethnic groups. It has a long history of migration, including Irish workers in the 1840s, Russian and East European Jews in the 1880s, and people from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Serbia and Italy during World War 2.

Following the war migrants arrived from places in the former colonies, such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Caribbean and Hong Kong. More recently, Eastern Europeans including Slovakian, Czech Republic and Romanians have come to Leeds, as well as refugees from Syria and Eritrea.

The BAME community and new arrivals are significant in Lincoln Green with twenty eight percent white and seventy two percent BAME, 3 times the Leeds figure. Fifty four percent of residents were born outside the UK/EU and half of all residents have arrived in the UK since 2000.

It’s a lot better round here now than when I was growing up.

If you go to where I live you can still see the cobbles from the old streets where the grass has worn away.

When Quarry Hill shut down a lot of people moved to Lincoln Green.

When you’re in your flat and you can hear people outside, it can make you feel lonely.

I’ve got this pot and it’s absolutely garish, but it’s from Burmantofts Pottery so I’m not getting rid of it.

There used to be two cracking pubs round here.

We worked at Burtons and they gave the workers houses next to the factory, but you had to be married.

The flats feel like a castle. They’re all bunched together and there’s a courtyard in the middle.

Even though it’s an urban area, there’s a lot of greenery.

They were all back to backs in them days.

There was no inside toilets or hot water.

I’ve lived here for about 14 years. It’s difficult when you’re on your own.

When I first came here from Ireland, they were building Quarry House.

I think this area has the highest concentration of high rises in Leeds.

A lot of people buy their gas and electric from Freshways.

The Highrise Project The Highrise Project explores the links between architecture and social relations within municipal highrise buildings and council-built estates. Through art and photography, we highlight the stories, benefits, and challenges of living in social housing, as well as related issues, including sense of community, family history, impact on wellbeing, and class.

This publication focuses on an area in Inner East Leeds known as Lincoln Green, and features images and quotes from people living in and around the area. The images were produced using a range of techniques, including photography, collage, printing, and cyanotype. Through working with local people and organisations, we were able to document the personal histories of the residents, in addition to capturing how the area has changed over the years.

This project was funded and supported by Index Festival, Arts Council England, Leeds Inspired, and Touchstone.

Featured Artists Louise Atkinson, Julie, George, Sam, Leon S, Lizzie, B Saywell, Victoria Kortekaas, Davion, Angela C, Glynis, Phill W, and Oscar.

www.thehighriseproject.co.uk