International Den Making Day, Banyoles, Spain

It was in a ditch. There was a traditional teepee construction of twigs round a tree. Outside was a "tray" of "bread" (planks with insulation foam on them). next to this in a another tree was a platform about 1.5m above the ground that about 3 kids could climb up to. It was pretty dangerous. between these 2 constructions were 2 planks that formed a bridge over the ditch. At one point Sylvia was a kind of gatekeeper for the bridge.
I saw this den on international den making day. I don't think that the children who had made it were aware that they were contributing to such a prestigious international art collaboration.
Joe Robinson

more memories over cake 3/10/09

Malcolm
Our house backed onto a chicken farm off the Stratford Road in Birmingham and a Tennis Club.
We (kids on the street) used to climb over into the farm and build dens out of the brush and material lying around.
There's a photo of us sitting on logs in the farm.
We also used to get into the tennis club and make dens out of the summer foliage and either no-one knew or didnt bother about us, they probably were happy we were out of the way.

I also had a seat high up in an ash tree until my dad had to chop it down as the roots started to destroy the garage.
The taylors had a tree house built for them.

Shirley
We moved to the Wirral during the war and had a garden that then had a kind of bridge over a ditch and some wood at the back.
We used to make dens in the wood which felt like it was separate to the rest of the garden and the house and therefore parents.
They weren't fancy things just temporary structures from sticks and whatever was around.

What is the definition of a den?

International Den Making Day

International Den Making Day

Robert Rauschenberg, Map Room II, 1965

Robert Rauschenberg

when we took part in the design activism conference in july we didn't supply any materials...we asked everyone to build a den from what they had with them. I liked this unpredictable way...i want to include this quote just because so...Robert Rauschenberg:'Fro the first time there was absolutely nothing to use. ...I asked Alex whether he had any shirts that needed ironing...so we got two ironing boards and put them up over some blue lights that were back there. When the curtain opened, there were the dancers and these two people ironing shirts....the lights coming up through the shirts, it was like a live passive set, like live decor.' Robert Rauschenberg talking to Richard Kostelanetz in his book The Theatre of Mixed Means 1970 (Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons Ltd)

Graphic Arts & Design studio den 6th July 2009

We needed a constructed space to show our project to then discuss the relationship of design to the project
luxury versus necessity, survivalist design methods, Greenham Common, minimal design, changing typographic use, not a font, health and safety, a kind of vernacular of materials, and much much more

Design Activism Event, 3rd July 2009

Taking part in the design activism day at Leeds Metropolitan University.
Making dens or mini spaces with whatever we had in our bags, pockets or in the room.
We discussed the relevance of the innovative use of materials on the moon landings mission in 1969 as described by Sam Wollaston in the Guardian-
"best of all was the construction of an adapter to make the carbon-dioxide filters from the command module work in the lunar module. Basically, they'd arrived at their holiday destination, tried to plug something in, and found that the plug sockets were different. Except we're not talking about charging mobile phones - we're talking about getting rid of the the carbon dioxide, which they needed to do in order to stay alive. In the thickening fug in Houston, a team set about fabricating an adapter, using only what their brothers in space had to hand. The result was a clumsy box made from plastic, duct tape, the cover of a manual and an old sock. And, when they were finished, they had to then explain to the astronauts how to make their own adapter;" 2/7/09

The Ice Palace

Chronologically a while ago, when we had the snow , do we remember that now in our current heatwave?
Built in a hidden overgrown garden we were directed to the spot with kids and explored this fantastic construction.
You could get right in it and slide through to the centre, stick your head out of holes and turrets and slide down the roof.
Beautiful.

Memories recorded at The Old Rectory, Bempton, 8th May 2009

Jean remembered playing in an old grave, it was a table top grave in The Priory Churchyard in Bridlington. The underneath had all caved in and she used to get underneath and play. She also used to play in the caves at Robin Lythe Cave...apparently that was so named due to a baby washing up there in a basket.

Doreen remembered making mini houses for her dolls out of shoe boxes.She grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Edith grew up in Sowerby Bridge, Halifax. When asked about memories of den making she said there was no den making unless there were little boys around.

Jean, Edith and Doreen

Just by Chance

Large Dens and Mini Dens in School

Large Dens and Mini Dens in School

Large Dens and Mini Dens in School

Large Dens and Mini Dens in School

Snow

This winter there was a lot of snow. On 13th February Liz, Laura, Martha and Frank visited an ice palace that had been made in the gardens of a derelict building. It had 2 rooms, a corridor, a slide to get in 3 or 4 windows, decorative turrets, and an ever changing shape. It was made by Callum.

Chris Harman's Den Making Day