THE STOCKPORT EMOTION MAP

Whilst conventional maps show static architecture and

exclude humans, this art project presents a vision of
Stockport that represents the emotions, opinions and desires
Artist christian nold & Designer daniela boraschi stockport - sep . 2007
of local people. Over a period of two months in summer 2007,
about 200 people took part in six public mapping events.

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nt il
This map collects together and shows the results of the two

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pl ll ng
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un wi mi
activities: Drawing Provocations & Emotion Mapping.

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ite re rea

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qu cen yd

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a

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ee
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th
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* drawing provocations *

e sh st

f i ith
d ed
on w s I
a

as

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nn ar

ge us
to ne op

t
ew le
Je his

an I
ay he sh

vi ral
ch ere
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w et e
in of

or r th
People were asked to sketch their responses to a variety of

no a
la is

g
lly h

e sp
w

in
ea fe w
y

ot he of
o

pu p
sh glor

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serious and humorous provocations about their daily lives

m s w ck
ow e.
ck nt

s r ca
s

r ho
ly r s

re r
cr m
a ll

he i a
ba na

ds

he ad

s
T is e b
Legend
such as what really annoys them about Stockport, where they
I w e fu

ge ea

ha he

sh ed
ed
e or
he tag

ri ed
re

t t ro
hu rw

k
T t th
tir
lik a f

e on
ry o
op
he
th

ft s
meet their friends, as well as who are the most important and

el lo

bu his
be de

ve
ly re

th nd
ks
t o ad

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t

to un

w d
cu

h
al a

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o

in a
ou s h

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dangerous people in town. Other provocations were focused

te lo
re g
ir

y ab
g w
't tin
er op
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da ea

th ped
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on the town and its history, river and landmarks. As a result,

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at sh

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ol a
d
y

at op
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tm

tr w
h
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an his

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people enthusiastically created a huge pile of drawings which

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.

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Bit of traffic and things =><=:HI:BDI>DC6A6GDJH6A

pi m
s ps
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were scanned and used to create this map. As far as possible,

lie o

ar d
e he
el sh

sh ke
er r t
all the drawings were placed in their geographically correct

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w e
e sho

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ph a

ov kn
bi
os he
position or where people mentioned them.

te

m ly
so and

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£ and

as
at an

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Spotted the food market, I didn't

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m

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t’s ell
or s

g
s f an
ke we

in

ha ar
know it was here

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an dig
at

w
ar s
Knight murals. I never knew

c
oo r
L nde

lo
m can

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r

rf
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* emotion mapping * what they represented

I
ve
I
je

O
Tasted freebie chocolates
at the market
The second activity involved people walking freely through
Stockport equipped with a special device invented by the Crossing the A6, a cyclist shot
artist, that measured their emotional arousal in relation to past me on red and startled me Where the supermarket is now, used to
Carousel in the be common land that first dissapeared
their geographical location in the town. On the map, the middle. Quite cute
This area is very empty without during the Industrial Revolution when
walks are represented by thin angular lines tracing the paths
the market a water powered mill was built here
that people walked. The emotional arousal is represented as
a series of pillars at four different heights corresponding to The supermarket building looks
The Bear Pit was meant to be a public space
the intensity of emotional arousal. Arousal is not necessarily very tired and not cared for and
but I have never seen it used for anything
positive and is best thought about in terms of heightened covers a lot of the river E6GI>8>E6CIH9G6L>C<
attention to ones body or surroundings. The textual
I stood looking at the river at the Bear Pit.
annotations on the map were written by the participants
Its one of my favourite places in Stockport
themselves to describe the huge variety of events and Having my photograph taken I was
sensory stimuli that caused their emotional reactions watching a cute guy in Starbucks.
during their walks. The Bear Pit provides a purely Looking back, he was gone. So sad! Felt a bit nervous E6GI>8>E6CIH6CCDI6I>DC
In the past, no respetable woman Waiting to cross the road
;GDB6C:BDI>DCB6EL6A@
Victorian view of the river, would have gone to the White Lion
the viaduct and the old mill especially if she was married
* how to read the map * The Plaza is a gorgeous building. Little haberdashery shop here.
I took my parents to see a show Not much longer though ...
The demand for it is going E6GI>8>E6CIH<EHIG68:
here. Good memories!
;GDB6C:BDI>DCB6EL6A@
It is important to notice that the whole of the map is
I felt a bit nervous avoiding the buses

re ph .
ly a rs
orientated so that the River Mersey runs across the middle

m or

de a sed
nt em te

ed
at the bus station. They came from A woman walked by me with

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ov
of the page, meaning that the top does not face North like

un ve u
rp ny
left and right

ts
y ga in
a huge ice cream. I wanted it! Quite pretty down here with

as W aid

an
I was looking at the

an r w
most contemporary maps. This projection is based on historic

e ve ld
little glimpses of the river

r
W
ci ina air-
brewery and bars

or e a
ki o
maps of Stockport that placed the main focus on the river as

t h hi as

w en rB
a tt
lif c w

as icul
from over the bridge

er ld

d
View of the market with the lights on. This

re

or . H he
co or the
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a resource, source of identity and county boundary. This

e sa I

ic e tc
I w iff
p

e
view is even more beautiful in the winter

th ave out

et her Bu
un ig

en y d
ay d
in ow o-
map follows the definition of older maps according to which

w an
ch h ab

wh all
ay t h C

t
a

es ork tis
se er

re re
pl ou the
the river Mersey does not start in Stockport but rather at

hi to ng

an w en
er iet

he ng
i w sed ki

d
h
to ab t

M u
y
s

ad bei
the confluence of the river Goyt and Etherow. Curiously,

t
e
itt u al

ed g pa

y
M
af ets e t

an is

ro it
Multi levels view.

th
us in g
modern North facing maps of Stockport appear to align with

gr il wer

to
I ink in

he er
th a
Chatting to wool shop lady

r re

st b
Really dramatic!

th alk

os em
ce a
the M60 motorway in almost the same way. Looking at the
e
W

cr em
W

ni his
o

Ir
T
overall pattern of the emotion pillars, it is possible to discern T
Lovely toyshop with Had a look at the Stockport Was exciting here! It all started with a washing
a number of high emotional arousal clusters. There are large Nice view of the old town wooden motorbike dungeon which is not machine. I hate ARGOS
clusters around the old market area and throughout the whole accessible right now
of Princes Street with smaller ones in Mersey Square and the Stopped here and showed my daughter Feeling a bit uncomfortable
the cobbden statue that has been moved here: sex shops and chavs Looked at St. Mary’s church.
Stockport Market area. In contrast, the Great Underbank
and St. Petersgate areas are very calm. This pattern seems to
The view reminded me
It is always a pleasure of Mary Poppins Lots of blackberries around there
correspond to the relative density of people and thus social
to come into the market
interactions in those areas. It is also a reflection of the amount Not much here, just a whole road
of visual distractions in those places. In addition to these full of job recruitment shops
broad patterns there are a number of individual high arousal
spikes that seem to be caused by particular buildings like the Looking at the Georgian buildings
Any green space in Stockport should Brewery building. It is I remembered looking around this
brewery or by very personal contexts like an individual’s
be preserved. The new square will beautiful with the sex folly during a heritage walk
annoyance at the graffiti on a medieval wall. add a new dimension shop in the corner
Very annoyed spike. A section of the
Best view of the viaduct from here. medieval wall that has been plastered
Would make a great place for over is now covered in graffiti
a viewing platform
Went to look at the view
but there was a weird guy
in the churchyard
I used to go to the overgrown graveyard
with my partner to have chips. It used What really annoys me is the way They have taken the scaffolding
to be more derelict then. It is very sad, the ancient gravestones have been off the Arden Arms
but I think it will be demolished cut to fit together
One of the last jobs before I retired was
Stress with [Link]
putting the track in for the railway Looking for the air raid shelters
is no pavement here
I don't like the area where the carpark is.
I don’t know it and there were some odd
Dog rose flower people standing around It’s quite calm here

Little ginnel passage Taking photographs here Met someone I knew and had
an animated conversation
I am looking at the river from
a really green, hidden footpath

The orginal sand stone cliffs

are still there. People litter View of the church
this old cobbled area

* the marginalised history of stockport * is a whole range of cultural and physical interventions * semi - public space * * isolation of young people *
REFLECTIONS ON THE EMOTION MAP
that could allow people to re-engage with the river, such as Taking photographs View of St. Mary's church
canoeing trips under the Merseyway, marking the course of of the lovely foliage
Everyday we enter into discussions with people for different While Stockport prides itself as a historic town and many the river in the street or drilling spy-holes through the road When talking to people it was surprising how few activities Young people seem to be a particularly marginalised
reasons. Sometimes, we have a particular purpose for people drew the looming train viaduct as a landmark, the surface to allow people to see and hear the Mersey. apart from shopping were mentioned. When asked about group in Stockport with very little provision for them.
communicating, but often we just want to talk to friends history of Stockport was not very strongly represented where they go to meet friends and relax, people drew images When asked, they mentioned the only thing set-up for
and strangers to hear their ideas and to express ourselves. in people’s drawings. When asked, most did not think that of corporate cafe chains and suggested that Stockport them is a skate-park which they have to pay to enter.
The vast majority of these conversations quickly slip our the past was influencing their everyday life in Stockport. revolves around coffee. Walking around the town we noticed The council’s youth provision also seems to be limited
* monolithic shopping *
mind and are never recorded because we think they are Even amongst those that thought it did affect them, some there is very little of what would be classically termed and focused on teenage pregnancy information. This lack
trivial. Yet we live in a time when our opinions are valued saw it as standing in the way of new developments. ‘Public Space’, i.e. places where there is no exclusion based of youth activities appears to increase the class division Maybe traffic stress The rectory is a lovely building but the
very highly. Everyone from politicians to market researchers An example of this type of thinking is perhaps visible at The main thread that ran through people’s drawings and on economic or social conditions. Most of the public life in amongst the young people. Middle class teenagers seem hotel inside is not of the same quality.
are fascinated by how we feel about particular issues. the site of the Norman castle, then later cloth mill, which texts was the subject of shopping. When asked to draw Stockport seem to take place in semi-public spaces such as to be invisible, while groups of working class teenagers That is a lost opportunity...
Curiously though, when we enter into discussions in those has today been turned into a very brash clothing shop. the most important people in Stockport, whilst some drew the shopping centre or cafes that require people to purchase are perceived to be the cause of anti-social behaviour A view of Robinson's brewery.
contexts, we tend to use a very strange stilted and alienated The nearby covered market which was reverentially their friends and family, a large number drew smiling or at least follow some behavioural rules to be allowed access. including alcohol consumption, stealing and knife crime. It is where my beer comes from
language, that neatly packages our ideas. In addition, these named the ‘Glass Umbrella’, is today neglected and hardly consumers holding branded shopping bags. There is little There are very few green spaces in the centre of Stockport We emphasise the importance of providing youth activities
discussions tend to focus only on a single issue, for example frequented. This space appears to have the potential for a doubt that the main factor responsible is the Merseyway that people can access without money and use as they like. and services to bring the young people together and allow
the building of an incinerator rather than asking wider conversion into a cultural centre that could set an example shopping area, which dominates the centre of Stockport On the whole there was a consensus that people wanted them to be included within the public life of Stockport.
questions about how our society produces and disposes for sensitively combining the past and the present. and defines its identity. As far back as 1978, not long after a less rigidly ‘programmed’ town centre. Current theorists
of goods. This map suggests a model for recording the the shopping centre was built, a local newspaper already of public space agree and argue for areas that allow
apparently trivial conversations and events of our everyday refered to Stockport simply as “our shop window town”. multiple interpretations and uses. One example of a missed
* so where do we go from here ? *
lives and allows us to see them all simultaneously without While many people seemed content with the shopping opportunity is the Bear Pit on Mersey Square which is Wild area used to have
* the hidden river mersey *
being constrained to a narrowly defined topic. When it is area, a fair number felt that it was “seventies and outdated” shaped like an amphitheatre and was meant to be for public a reservoir for the mill
possible to see this overview, these apparently disconnected and wanted more of a cafe street culture. Others expressed use. When one looks at the featureless concrete design and We hope that this map and text will stimulate personal
conversations show their true value and form clusters of The building of the Merseyway road in 1934 which covered a worry that smaller, local shops were being forced out. the fact that one has to cross a busy road, it is not surprising reflections for people and then lead to a larger communal
issues and concerns. the river seems to be a pivotal point for Stockport. Not only Most of the shops that people drew were global brands that no one uses it. This is perhaps even sadder considering discussion that refines the issues of concern. Some of the The oldest industrial site in Stockport.
There was a fire here very recently.
did it unite Stockport into one town, it also meant that all and only a few sketched images of local shops or market that Mersey Square is the site of the original Village Green topics we identfied could be tackled by single individuals
There are still people hanging around
Based on the process of talking to over 200 people in the old factories and mills that lined the banks had to be stalls. Already in 1979 a local newspaper suggested that where in the past, large social festivals took place and such as running youth workshops, while others require
Stockport and analysing their drawings, we identified five knocked down. This is the reason why there are very few “...we cannot afford to loose the family-name businesses circuses pulled in. It is illustrative to look at an artist’s a group of people and collaborations with institutions.
overlapping issues of concern. Feel free to go to the project visible signs of Stockport’s industrial heritage in the centre from Stockport” and that, “what is lacking is something impression from the 1970’s for the redevelopment of Mersey

2007
web site and download all the original drawings and of town. The river which had been the basis for the town’s to attract people there apart from the shops. There is no Square, picturing an idyllic green area full of trees and It is heartening that ‘friendly’ was the most frequently
Emotion Map data. founding, growth and identity was suddenly hidden away. real focal point...”. benches contrasting strongly with the desolate traffic heavy used adjective for describing Stockport and we feel that
Modern developments such as the cluster of supermarkets area that it is now. We feel that this area has a lot of potential this sense of community can nuture a new vision for
Here are the five issues that we identified for Stockport: that block the river banks and allow only stolen glimpses and that it would be worthwhile revisiting older visions of the town.
1. The marginalised history of Stockport exacerbate the problem. In fact, we found that the majority this space and bringing them back to life.
2. The hidden river Mersey of young people that we talked to did not know that there
3. Monolithic shopping was a river running below their feet. Most adults only had
4. Semi-Public Space a vague idea about the course of the river and included it as
5. Isolation of young people a gostly trace on their mental maps. We suggest that there