Fertile Fractures Part 1 Project 2020 Paula Cawthorne London Metropolitan University | UK The High Street and the dominance of the chain store is in decline.When large multiple retailers fail we are left with huge, monolithic shells that lay vacant, uninviting and useless. Their emptiness slowly destroying the spirit of the High Street and the communities they serve.The crisis is the most critical facing our towns and cities.Fertile Fractures addresses the fragility of a High Street that relies almost exclusively on these activities for its survival.Reusing a vast, empty High Street store, the proposal explores scenes of fragmentation and decay, seeking to create an alternative environment that nurtures social interactions; builds new emotional ties and revitalises a community spirit.At the heart of Basildon, a new community building aims to encourage powerful and long-lasting connections that form the foundation of the proposal.The proposal captures the intangible qualities of place that enrich individual relationships between people; community and their physical surroundings. Biophilia and biodiversity provide the critical framework; creating the atmosphere in which a sense of place can be successfully and sustainably nurtured. They o?er strong links between memory, experience and emotion that has the power to imprint a lasting connection between person and place. Paula Cawthorne Tutor(s)Mr David Howarth