Chatham’s Tidal Tea Farm
Once a united community that thrived as an industry along The Medway, Chatham has seen its civic pride, identity, and employment opportunities fade, leading to a town now divided by wealth and devoid of community values. The Historic Dockyard, previously a hub of innovation and making, now houses static objects. My goal for this project is to rejuvenate the site with innovative and sustainable programs that adapt to environmental changes, fostering a dynamic and evolving space.
The Medway experiences silting and cyclical flooding every 15 years, with flood walls built to protect surrounding areas. However, urbanisation and floodwalls degrade landform diversity, reducing agriculture and ecosystem benefits. Historically, riverbanks formed civilisations and provided strategic resources like nutrient-rich silt, essential for agriculture. Traditional terraced embankments would restore floodplains naturally, stabilising soil and preventing erosion. Located in Kent, “The Garden of England,” the Medway supports 32% of national biodiversity but is primarily privatised and underutilised.
Embracing floodplains’ dynamic nature through flexible, adaptive design can transform Chatham into a vibrant, inclusive space that celebrates the interplay between water, land, and community. Innovative design and collaboration between local farmers and charities can turn flood-prone areas into cultural, ecological, and recreational assets. The integration of native medicinal plant cultivation with tide cycles creates a living laboratory of environmental resilience, cultural heritage, and community engagement, offering educational programs and hands-on experiences, further fostering a circular future for the community of Chatham and reimagining The Historic Dockyard as a hub of craftsmanship and innovation.
Revitalise Chatham: Embrace the Tide, Reimagine the Pride