‘Built by limitless volunteer energy and ingenuity, the Folly is about the enjoyment of actions, with other people, from the building to the events.’ – The Observer

Selected as the winner of the 2011 edition of the Create Art Award, Folly for a Flyover saw a disused motorway undercroft transformed into a dynamic performance and screening space. Folly was conceived, built, programmed and run by Assemble, a not-for-profit collective of London designers, artists and architects who explore the reuse of redundant and overlooked city spaces. The project explored uncovering the potential pleasures that exist on the fringes of everyday life and the built environment.

Built over four weeks, the construction was made possible with the help of local participation with over 200 volunteers engaging with the project through design, construction and programming. The installation took aesthetic inspiration from the surrounding architecture of Hackney Wick using recycled and donated materials from the local area ensuring that sustainable design practice was at the core of the project. The season of events combining cinema and performance began at the launch of Create11 running through August.

Folly for a Flyover transformed the undercroft of the A12 motorway, on the northern fringe of the 2012 Olympic Park, into an outdoor waterside cinema, café and performance space. Folly brought art and the community together to a forgotten, disused corner of the city, transforming it into a new social space.

The project was nominated for the Design of the Year Award and the Conde Nast Award.

Watch Folly for a flyover from David Vintiner on Vimeo.

The Create Art Award is supported by Bank of America Merrill Lynch.