So, at the neighbourhood-level, they will be more resistant to shocks(Flavio Coppola, C40 Cities’ programme manager for urban planning, published on 4th January 2021, https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201214-how-15-minute-cities-will-change-the-way-we-socialise)

Unit 2 Context project outcome

I am especially satisfied with life in Finsbury Park area when I compare it with Camberwell. First, public transportations are much better in Finsbury Park area. It has two Underground lines and a lot bus stations for going to popular places in London fast. When I lived in Camberwell, it was really uncomfortable to visit central London because there were no tube stations there. I used more Uber when I lived in Camberwell, so I ended up with spending more money than I do now. However, I can do everything such as commuting, going to church and museums and shopping by using Victoria and Piccadilly lines here. It became easier and cost-effective. Second, there is a beautiful park in my new neighbourhood. I found lots of places there where people can do stuff, like play tennis or use the playground. Also, I enjoy walking in the park because it has such pretty nature views and lots of different creatures living there. Therefore, infrastructures help me settle down and find home in this area.

This map shows my first impression and later experiences of Finsbury Park area, my new neighborhood. When I just arrived at Finsbury Park area, it looked gloomy because it does not have sophisticated and shiny buildings. Also it was becoming darker at the time. So, I used grey to express my first impression of this area on the whole background. And I added some elements that were related to my happy memories in my new neighborhood using my favorite colour. Here I can show that I had a nice time and conversation with my new friend and shared about our uni and dorm lives at Boulangerie Bon Matin. And I visited some small restaurants with my parents while they visited here. As Photographer Timothy Spurr showed through his photo essay ‘Blackstock Road’, small cafes and good meals can change the negative impression of the place. They also changed my perspective on my new neighborhood.

For me, Finsbury Park area is a little closer to 15-minute city than Camberwell. As Henry Grabar explained a 15-minute city means a neighborhood where “Residents should have everything they need within a 15-minute walk or bike ride from home.” Finsbury Park area was deserted at the beginning, but it was developed as a multicultural place as time goes on. Then, many local clothing and supermarkets were built in Finsbury Park area that are close to my dorm. When I lived in Camberwell, there were no stores close to my house where I could buy foodstuffs and daily necessities. TESCO was the closest supermarket to my house in the past, but I had to take a bus whenever I visited. So, I had to use public transport even to go to a nearby store whenever I needed groceries, which resulted in spending more money on grocery shopping and feeling inconvenienced while shopping. On other hand, I can see a lot of stores that are near my dorm after I moved to Finsbury Park area. Sainsbury, IDLE, and M&S are located within easy walking distance of my house, so, I can go there whenever I need something, which is easier than before. Also, there are many transportation options nearby my house. There was only a bus station near my dorm when I lived in Camberwell. It took a long time to commute due to heavy traffic and slow speeds. I often worried about being late for class whenever I used the bus. Also, it was really annoying when I could not take the bus for various reasons, especially when I had plans at school. However, it became much more convenient to use public transportation after I moved to the Finsbury Park. I can get to King’s Cross station in just two stops from Finsbury Park station to go to college by using the underground, which is much faster. And the Underground is close to Central London, so it is crowded every morning. I felt stuffy on the Underground because of a large number of people, but it is really it’s very convenient for getting around. Also, there are many bus stations in the Finsbury Park area. I use the bus less often than I did when I lived in Camberwell because I usually take the tube to Central London. But I believe the many bus stations in Finsbury Park are very helpful for office workers and other students traveling to Central London for work or school. Thus, I found that my daily life became more convenient and cost-effective after I moved to Finsbury Park area.

My neighbourhood used to look like a town with few green spaces, but the park that is located within short distances of my current dorm helps make this area more environmentally friendly. As Josh Davis explained “the UK government reported that they will make a plan to encourage people to live near natural areas to restore nature and improve environmental quality.” He added that “they will protect the environment and create new habitats” Whenever I walk through the park, I see that it has various roles in this area. I often see various creatures such as red squirrels, geese, rare kinds of ducks, and Japanese white birch, which are hard to find in the city. And it looks as a really good place for visitors who take a walk with their pets because it has a wide field and beautiful natural view. So, I realise the most important roles are preserving wildlife and providing habitats for them. Additionally, I can see that the park provides places for entertainment options, such as a tennis court and playground. I found that while adding leisure facilities for visitors might be beneficial, it may not serve the interests of the residents. BBC reported that “Haringey Council has planned for the Wireless Festival to be held at Finsbury Park for the next five years”. They argued that “as well as bringing in significant funds to help us manage and improve the park, events are an important opportunity for residents, especially our young people, to access world-class music and culture in an affordable and sustainable way.” However, residents in Finsbury Park area “has complained about noise levels, drug taking and anti-social behaviour at the festival and attempted to stop the events.” I guess that would be useful for visitors, but I agree with the local group because I believe Finsbury Park will lose its true purpose of improving green spaces and protecting wildlife if it is developed for entertainment. Also, I guess that could cause harm to residents in Finsbury Park with social issues like noise pollution and environmental problems. The park was established for environmental preservation and wildlife habitat improvement, but people utilise it primarily for entertainment purposes. If people develop it as adding leisure facilities, that can lose the true role of park for us. Therefore, I believe people must remember the important functions of the park and preserve it to protect wildlife and improve environmental quality.

Finsbury Park area looks like a multicultural town with residents from many different cultures and who speak various languages. I can see that the percentage of international students who lives in the same dorm is higher than that of native students. Even though they come from diverse cultural backgrounds and speak different languages, the majority of them attend the same college. This allows me to feel a sense of community with them. I also can find there are a lot of restaurants that sells various food from other countries like Kebab in my neighbourhood. And I thought that could be helpful for students and residents who came from other countries. That because the foods could help them to feel familiar to my neighbourhood. Also, I realised that residents in Finsbury Park area could be together through an artwork. A few months ago, I heard the news about a new Banksy work appearing on an old building in the Finsbury Park area. When I discovered about it, I wanted to see it and decided to try to find it. And I barely watched his mural because it looked hard to see due to the crowd. This made me realise that artwork can bring neighbours together, even if they come from diverse cultural backgrounds and speak different languages. I realised that an artwork could bring the neighbours together even they have diverse cultural backgrounds and speak different languages. After I finished watching the mural, I found an interview with residents who expressed pride in the Banksy’s artwork. Wanja Sellers, one of residents in Finsbury Park area showed his proud by saying ‘Choosing the colours of our borough just makes it feel like a personal message to us residents.’ Consequently, Finsbury Park area helps people from many different cultures bring the community with various ways such as an artwork and restaurants.