Shot and edited over three years, ‘The Winter Garden’ is a 360 film that captures the transformation of a neighbourhood. In the decades following the riots of 1981, the residents of Granby, in Liverpool, campaigned against the demolition of their homes and the relocation of their community. In 2015 they joined forces with Assemble, the collective of artists and designers, to reimagine what their neighbourhood could look like. One plan that emerged from their collaboration - turning a derelict house into a Winter Garden and community centre - was central to Assemble winning a major UK art accolade: the Turner prize. 

At the core of this film are scenes that place the audience inside the Winter Garden during key moments of its build. We see it in its derelict state, then much later when the trees are lifted in and finally when the space is being used as a workshop for local people. Punctuating these scenes are others that show the neighbourhood - a resident’s home, a hair and beauty salon and the local streets. All the while we hear a flow of the voices of the local community talking about their experiences of the past but more importantly voicing their hopes and dreams for the future.