Action OKR is an unincorporated community association that has brought people together to inform change in the Old Kent Road —an area set to undergo dramatic changes in the next decade, including the proposed 25,000 new homes and the Bakerloo Line extension.

Since 2016, the team has produced exhibitions, publications, and events at various locations along the Old Kent Road to engage the wider public in discussions about the impact of the proposed large-scale developments on their neighbourhood. We worked collaboratively with residents, universities and local organisations to document the life and environment of the Old Kent Road during this time of imminent change. By organising events and workshops, we focused our collective actions on creating experiences and tangible outputs that communicate the area’s future and explore alternatives. Our initiatives have supported the formation of stronger local networks and new community spaces including 231 OKR, and the Livesey Exchange – a new community venue on the Old Kent Road.

As a resident of Old Kent Road, Ulrike Steven, co-founder and director of what if: projects, led the Action OKR project by hosting meetings and overseeing the delivery of events and interventions. Prof. Mark Brearley of London Met, who leads the business association Vital OKR, has been a key contributor to these events and initiatives, which were photographed by Alexander Christie and are documented below.

Highstreet workshop

A key feature of this space was a 6-meter-long model of the high street, constructed by workshop participants. This model served as a centrepiece for communicating and discussing developments with the wider public.

Location: 231 OKR

Urban Room OKR

In 2019, Action OKR ran a successful crowdfunding campaign, supported by the Mayor, to create a dedicated space for the community to engage in discussions about the future of the Old Kent Road. This initiative brought together residents, businesses, researchers, planners, the council, developers, and other stakeholders. For a limited time, Southwark Council provided a shop unit at 231 Old Kent Road, where Action OKR, in collaboration with Vital OKR, organized a series of events and workshops. A key feature of this space was a 6-meter-long model of the high street, constructed by workshop participants. This model served as a centrepiece for communicating and discussing developments with the wider public.

Date: 2019
Location: Urban room crowdfunding campaign

A window into life on Old Kent Road

“A Window into Life on Old Kent Road” was an exhibition by Action OKR members Ulrike Steven of what if: projects and photographer Alexander Christie. It was showcased as part of Make City Berlin and featured in Make City, a Compendium of Urban Alternatives. The exhibition was displayed in a shop window, highlighting production and industry as integral elements of the mixed city. Collaborative initiatives from the Old Kent Road were also presented during a series of pavement talks. A reduced version of the exhibition was later mounted at Compressor Space, hosted by Weber Industries in the OKR area.

Date: 16.06.-01.07.2018
Location: Mini Hub H36, Heinrich-Heine-Straße 36, 10179 Berlin
Photography: Alexander Christie
Publication: Make City, a compendium of urban alternatives

Planning Action OKR

As part of the London Festival of Architecture 2018, what if: projects, in collaboration with Cass Cities, Vital OKR, and the Peckham Weeklies, organized a weekend workshop at the old Livesey Library. During this workshop, participants built a model of OKR Sub Area 2 to explore the impact of future developments and opportunities for locally-led improvements. Discussions centered on the protection of local industries and small businesses being pushed out of the area, as well as options for incorporating them into the new developments.

Date: 2018
Location: Livesey Library
Photography: Alexander Christie

The Old Kent Road, a place of industries

In 2017, Action OKR collaborated with photographer Alexander Christie to produce a zine documenting the local industries of the Old Kent Road. These industries, often hidden in forgotten spaces behind the road—in low-rise sheds and tucked into railway arches—are largely out of sight and mind for many of the area’s residents and visitors. The zine, along with a series of OKR industry walks, offered glimpses into this usually concealed world of making, which is an essential part of the Old Kent Road. To protect these industries from disappearing, their presence needs to be both experienced and appreciated.

Zine publication, 2017
Funding: Airbn

Livesey Exchange: open day

As part of the Open House Festival in 2017, Action OKR, in collaboration with Vital OKR and the LEX team of makers, organised an open day featuring:

MEET THE MAKERS: Local fabricators showcased their skills and conducted a series of hands-on making sessions at the Livesey Exchange.
WALK: Guided tours provided visitors with exclusive access behind the scenes of businesses on the Old Kent Road.
EXHIBITION: ‘This Is Not Nothing’ highlighted the vitality of the Old Kent Road’s economy and its role as a hub of industry.

Date: 16.09.2017
Location: LEX 1
Open House 2017

Old Kent Road: industries

Action OKR (Peckham Weeklies), supported by numerous local enterprises and in collaboration with Cass Cities from London Metropolitan University and the area business association Vital OKR, hosted a multi-day event at the Livesey Exchange (LEX 1), a new venue for making on the Old Kent Road. The event featured guided tours, workshops, and an exhibition showcasing photographs, maps, and interviews, offering insights into the area’s evolution, current vitality, and future potential. A special OKR photo zine, produced by the Peckham Weeklies, was also available during the London Festival of Architecture.

The Old Kent Road is one of London’s oldest streets and has long been a hub of industry. For over a century, it has supported a diverse range of businesses, including hat makers, costume designers, tin can and terrazzo manufacturers, printers, fabricators, and couriers. With nearly 1,000 businesses along and around the OKR, it remains a crucial resource for the capital, providing essential goods, services, and thousands of local jobs. This industrial economy continues to play a significant role in the development of South London.

As one of the GLA’s ‘opportunity areas,’ the OKR faces changes due to plans for 25,000 new homes. This raises questions about the value of industry in shaping the future of localities and the city.

TALK: On June 24th at 6:30 pm, a series of talks featuring Prof. Mark Brearley, Dr. Oli Mould, and Lucy Bullivant explored the future of industries in the city.
EXHIBITION: An exhibition showcasing studies of the Old Kent Road economy by Cass Cities from London Metropolitan University was held at LEX in June 2017.
ZINE: “Old Kent Road, a Place of Industries” The special OKR photo zine, documenting the local economy and produced by the Peckham Weeklies, was available at the event.

Date: 23.-24.06.2017
Location: LEX 1
Part of London Festival of Architecture, 2017

First open day at LEX 1

Following the successful crowdfunding campaign, plans for transforming the Ledbury Estate garages into an arcade of workshops, social spaces, and cultural programs were presented during the first open day at LEX 1, as part of the Peckham Festival. Residents were invited to share their input on what they would like to see in the new space.

The open day provided an opportunity for visitors to explore the site, participate in making workshops and family activities, and review the architect’s plans for the space. Activities included kids’ football, table tennis, screen printing, a bike-repair workshop, yarn bombing, and various exhibitions.

Date: 10.09.2016
Location: Ledbury Estate Garages
Peckham Festival 2016
Photography: Samuel Bradley

Knock’d em on the Old Kent Road

As part of the London Festival of Architecture in 2016, an exhibition titled “This Is Not Nothing,” coined by Mark Brearley, focused on the local industries of the Old Kent Road. Held at the Asylum Chapel, the exhibition showcased studies produced by students from the Cass School of Architecture and LSE. The event also featured a series of short talks, including one by the Pearly King of Peckham. Additionally, a spontaneous kazoo choir performed the classic music hall song “Knock’d em in the Old Kent Road.”

Date: 2016
Location: Asylum Chapel
Refer to: Peckham Weeklies