UCL Institute of Archaeology

Who Stole my Milk?

2. Project Outcomes

2012

UCL Institute of Archaeology

Who Stole my Milk?

2.1 Documenting Student Homes Team
Hannah Brown, Riccardo Fazzalari, Chao-Chieh Wu, and Li Wang

2012

TABLE OF CONTENT
2.1 Documenting Student Homes Team 2.1.1 Executive Summary 2.1.2 Content Summary 2.1.2.1 Collected Data 2.1.2.2 Tower Hamlets 2.1.2.3 Islington 2.1.2.4 Camden 2.1.2.5 Barnet 2.1.2.6 Key Themes 2.1.2.6.1 Technology 2.1.2.6.2 Negotiation 2.1.2.6.3 Friendship 2.1.2.6.4 Liminality 2.1.2.6.5 Cooking 2.1.2.6.6 London 2.1.2.6.7 Personal Objects Appendix 2.1.3 Project Photographers Additional Tasks Appendix 2.1.4 Project Recruitment Email Appendix 2.1.5 Group Interview Questions Appendix 2.1.6 Individual Interview Questions Appendix 2.1.7 Documentation Sample Photographs Appendix 2.1.8 Handover Material Group Summaries Appendix 2.1.9 Handover Material Participant Summaries Appendix 2.1.10 Handover Sample Individual Interview Abstract Appendix 2.1.11 Handover Sample Group Interview Abstract Appendix 2.1.12 Accessioning Sample Islington Appendix 2.1.13 GM Accessioned Home Collection Islington Appendix 2.1.14 DSHT Reportage Photograph 63 65 67 67 68 68 69 69 70 70 70 70 71 71 71 71 73 74 75 76 78 79 85 100 104 107 108 109

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2.1 Documenting Student Homes Team (DSHT)

2.1.1 Executive Summary

DSHTs role was to document how students in shared homes lived through photographs and recorded interviews. The information collected by DSHT formed the foundation of the project and was used by all other teams.

Each DSHT member was assigned a particular role: o Hannah Brown: Team Leader and Interviewer. o Chao-Chieh Wu: Interviewer and Reportage Photographer. The latter responsibility was limited to DSHT related tasks. o Riccardo Fazzalari: Interviewer, Audio Recorder, and Assistant Photographer. o Li Wang: Project Photographer. Li Wang was responsible for taking all student home documentation photographs, as well as overall project reportage photographs. (see appendix 2.1.3)

In January 2012, DSHT recruited participants among the friends and contacts of students involved in the project. Finding willing participants was difficult, as was scheduling times when all participating housemates were available. The process was time-consuming and it enabled DSHT to develop diplomatic communication skills. DSHT recruited a total of fourteen participants from four different student houses. (see appendix 2.1.4)

DSHT developed consent forms authorising project members to exhibit the participants personal stories in the web resources and museum exhibition.

DSHT generated a detailed and precise documentation plan outlining specific tasks and timelines. The documentation of each household took between three to four hours. (see team progress reports appendices 3.1.3 and 3.1.4)

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From mid to late February, DSHT visited the homes of willing participants to undertake group and individual interviews, and collected data relevant to the UCL project and GMs archival project. (see appendices 2.1.5 & 2.1.6)

DSHT produced back-up discs of the collected data, as well as extra copies for WRT and ET.

On February 28th, DSHT attended a handover meeting with PMT, WRT and ET to discuss the collected data, the emerging themes, the restrictions on the use of data, and the sensitive issues of exhibiting data of a personal nature collected from living individuals. (see appendices 2.1.8 2.1.11)

DSHT sent each participant summaries of the relevant data selected by WRT and ET via email in order to solicit input. DSHT, ET, and WRT were keen not to portray the participants in an unfavourable light. Participants were contacted multiple times as the project unfolded: among the few that replied, the feedback was very positive. Care was taken not to overload the participants with e-mails.

DSHT produced consent forms authorising the accessioning of collected data in the GMs Documenting Homes Collection.

DSHT accessioned selected data in the GMs Documenting Homes Collection. Each team member was responsible for a single household. (see appendices 2.1.12 and 2.1.13) o Hannah Brown: Tower Hamlets o Chao-Chieh Wu: Islington o Riccardo Fazzalari: Barnet o Li Wang: Camden

A Collections Description, a Persons Record spreadsheet, and a Collections Record for each household accompanied the accessioned data. The Persons Record

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spreadsheet included private information; it was only submitted to and held securely in the GMs archives, subject to their policies which comply with the Data Protection Act of 1999. 2.1.2 Content Summary

DSHT collected different data types including photographs, film, audio recordings, and floor plan drawings. In order to observe the level of interaction in the flat, DSHT filmed the participants in group interviews. Individual participant interviews were recorded using audio only. DSHT later compiled the information and wrote abstracts of each interview highlighting the key themes for quick reference. The Project Photographer and Reportage Photographer, Li Wang and Chao-Chieh Wu, captured images in each flat of participants bedrooms and their personal objects, as well as shared spaces such as the kitchen, bathroom, hallway, and living room. Finally, DSHT requested that each participant draw a floor plan of their flat. 2.1.2.1 Collected Data

DSHT collected the following information from each household: Photographs by Li Wang (Project Photographer) including: o Private space/bedrooms o Personal objects o Shared spaces: kitchen, living room, shower room, and toilet o Kitchen cupboards and fridge o Participants, individually and in groups o Participants preparing food Film of the group interviews Sound recordings of the groups and individual interviews
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Floor plans drawn by each household member

For sample photographs, see appendix 2.1.7 2.1.2.2 Tower Hamlets

This Tower Hamlets flat in East London houses five postgraduate students. An ex-council building, it contains four bedrooms including a converted living room a small kitchen, and a separate toilet and bathroom. The fourth bedroom, however, is still being used as a living room, equipped with a sofa and coffee table. Four students took part in the group interview, while only three were interviewed individually. This is because the fourth participant arrived later. Although DSHT aimed to reschedule his individual interview, this did not occur due to conflicting schedules. The participants nationalities include: English, French, American, and German. Each student has lived or travelled in a foreign country; this facet is reflected in the content of their flat. The participants are all good friends and have known each other for several years; most lived together beforehand. They are very comfortable around each other and know each others routines. The participants stated that there were no explicit flat rules; rather each roommate is responsible for cleaning his own space. Necessities such as toilet paper are purchased as needed. The participants indicated that home was a place they felt comfortable, rather than somewhere with their family. They claimed that they felt at home in this particular flat as all roommates got along so well. 2.1.2.3 Islington

This Islington flat houses four Chinese postgraduate students from different regions. The flat spreads over two floors: on the ground floor is a kitchen, a bedroom, and a storage area; two further bedrooms are located in the basement. While two of the participants form a couple, the remaining pair did not know each other
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prior to moving into the flat. All tenants located the property through the landlords posted advertisement. The flat is dotted with Chinese themed decorations, including a flag, but the students informed DSHT that these belonged to the previous tenants who were also Chinese. As the flatmates did not know each other beforehand, they live, cook and entertain separately, and respect each other's private lives. However they do help each other when it is necessary and talk on occasion. The participants stated that they did not regard this house as a home but as a temporary accommodation or student dormitory. 2.1.2.4 Camden

The Camden flat houses six individuals; only three students participated in our project. It contains a small kitchen, a bathroom, and three bedrooms. The participants consisted of a Vietnamese couple who share a single room and a Maltese woman who shares a second room with her non-student partner. This latter room is quite large; most objects found within the room belong to her partner, while the furniture belongs to the landlord. The room occupied by the Vietnamese couple is very small and does not contain much decoration as they have not lived there for long. The three participants believed they had created a home together. 2.1.2.5 Barnet

This Barnet flat located in North London houses three PhD students; an English man and two Italians (one man and one woman). It is larger than the other flats DSHT visited; it contains a dining room with a sofa-bed (guest room), a living room equipped with a television where the students spend most of their time, a large kitchen, a laundry room, two bathrooms, and four bedrooms. As the Italian participants have already lived in the flat between three to four years, their rooms are well decorated and contain many objects. On the other hand, the English
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participant moved into the flat in September 2011; he has not yet decorated his bedroom. The participants being PhD students are older than the projects primary target audience. This fact is reflected in the flats cleanliness and decoration scheme. 2.1.2.6 Key Themes Identified Technology

2.1.2.6.1

During the interviews, participants discussed the importance of technology in their student lives especially as they currently reside outside their parental home. Several participants store their photos of family and friends on their personal computers rather than printing them, thus reducing the amount of objects they bring with them. Participants stated that technology brought the roommates closer together enabling them to spend more time as a household; examples include the television in Barnet, and the projector in Tower Hamlets. 2.1.2.6.2 Negotiation

DSHT found that negotiation methods varied among the different flats according to how well the participants knew each other. Tower Hamlets participants claimed that they did not require specific rules in regards to the use of the shared space because they knew each other quite well. The bathroom and kitchen would eventually be cleaned, necessities such as toilet paper were purchased as needed, and each roommate was responsible for tidying his/her own personal space. In Camden, on the other hand, shared space is carefully negotiated. The participants alternate sharing the kitchen and are required to close the door when cooking in order to avoid food smells dispersing within the flat. 2.1.2.6.3 Friendship

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DSHT identified an important theme prevalent in many interviews: friendship. A number of participants stated that living together enabled them to form strong bonds of friendship; many considered their roommates as their closest friends. During the interviews, DSHT discovered that pre-existing friendships made negotiations in the flat easier; participants suggested that it made them feel more at home. 2.1.2.6.4 Liminality

Many participants identified their student home as a temporary space. This concept was especially prominent in Islington where the students did not know each other prior to moving into the flat. In Barnet, one participant explained that he had yet to decorate his room due to moving around so frequently; he failed to see a valid reason to spend the time and decorate his room. 2.1.2.6.5 Cooking

DSHT identified that food and cooking was important to most participants. In Islington, the students cook and eat Chinese food reminding them of home. One participant claimed that living in London, she now preferred Chinese food. During her time in China, she frequently craved Western food, such as cake. The tenants of Barnet and Tower Hamlets explained that they spend time together cooking and eating. 2.1.2.6.6 London

Many of the participants discussed the effects that London had on their lives, including changes in food choice or daytime habits. 2.1.2.6.7 Personal Objects

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Some participants brought personal objects to London making their house feel more like a home, while others felt their personal objects connected them with their family and their parental home.

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APPENDIX 2.1.3

PROJECT PHOTOGRAPHERS ADDITIONAL TASKS

In addition to the initial documentation process, the Project Photographer, Li Wang, also performed the following tasks:
Tasks of Project Photographer (In Addition To Initial Documentation) Dates: From late March to May 15TH By April 9TH April 4TH & 5TH Task: Photos for blog Photographs requested by WRT and ET Family Days Notes: Collaborate with WRT if they need photos for the blog Take photos requested by WRT and ET Talk with LIT to see which sessions will be good photo opportunities. We will definitely want pictures of the World of Chopsticks.

March 30TH April 20TH May 14TH

Fourth Panel Meeting Final Panel Meeting Exhibition Installation (possible) Global Homes Private View Compile all reportage photography Put onto two CDs or USB Flash drives (one for the GM, one for UCL IoA) We will have to check if this is appropriate with ET and Alex.

May 16TH May 24TH Due May 28TH

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APPENDIX 2.1.4

PROJECT RECRUITMENT EMAIL

DSHT composed the following letter in order to recruit participants for the project. Project team members sent the letter via email to student friends and acquaintances that lived in shared homes, as well as students in the UCL Institute of Archaeology. The email was written to make clear what the participants would have to contribute, but also highlighting what they would gain from taking part in the project. Although the email was quite specific, DSHT were actually more relaxed in the households they chose.
Dear Students, As part of the MA Cultural Heritage Studies Museum and Site Interpretation course we are looking for participants to take part in a study for an exhibition at the Geffrye Museum. The Geffrye Museum is the museum of the home and as part of the Cultural Olympiad, we are producing an exhibition on the student home. The exhibition is themed around the concept of the shared house, so we are looking for student houses of 4 or 5 people who are all willing to take part. We would also prefer houses with some international students, as we are looking at the way certain foods/behaviours/objects make their way into the UK. The participants would be required to do group and individual interviews, questionnaires and allow photographs of their students homes and objects. The data collected is to be presented at the museum and also kept in the museum archive. Taking part in this exhibition gives the participants a chance to be in an exhibition in a national museum, as part of the Olympics, and also have their data kept in the museum archive. Please contact me through email (hannah.brown@ucl.ac.uk) if you are interested in taking part. Kind Regards Hannah Brown Documenting Student Homes Team, Geffrye Student Homes Project UCL Student Homes Project 2012 Page 74

APPENDIX 2.1.5

GROUP INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

DSHT worked together to create the interview questions for both the group and individual interviews. With input from the whole team who had all had different student experiences DSHT felt that the questions could reflect all kinds of student experiences.
The Student Home: A joint project between UCLs Museum and Site Interpretation Class & The Geffrye Museum Group Interview Questions General 1. How did you all come to live together? 2. Think about the home contents of communal areas in the house, are there particular things that reflect the different backgrounds of each housemate? Style 3. Are there any things that fit a particular style in the common area of the house? Interaction 4. How do you negotiate the use of the shared space in the house? 5. What are your house/flat rules? 6. How does the flat get cleaned? 7. Who normally buys the necessities (toilet papers, detergents, kitchen paper, etc.) for the flat? 8. How do you communicate in the house/flat? Kitchen 9. Which objects, if any, do you leave in the kitchen? 10. How is the refrigerator organised? A. Do you separate different section for everyone? 11. Do you cook together? 12. Do you eat together? 13. What are the typical meals cooked in this home? 14. Where do you shop for most of your groceries? A. Do you share them? B. Do you buy them together? Entertainment 15. How do you spend time together in the flat? 16. Do you have visitors in the flat often? 17. What are your rules about visitors? 18. Can you give me some examples of when you have entertained in the house/ flat - what happened? Who came? 19. Do you think that you have created a home together?

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APPENDIX 2.1.6

INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS The Student Home:

A joint project between UCLs Museum and Site Interpretation Class & The Geffrye Museum Individual Interview Questions Core Information for the Geffrye: Name: What are you studying? Ethnicity and Nationality: Address: Date moved in? What sort of building is it? E.g. semi-detached, built c.1930 No. of bedrooms? Who lives here? Do you see yourself as part of a particular class-group such as middle, upper or working class? If you do, what term would you use and why? : Introduction 1. What does home mean to you? 2. Do you enjoy sharing a flat with other people? Do you feel comfortable? Style and Design 3. How do you decorate your room? Roots 4. What in your home contents, do you think reflect your identity? E.g. where you are from and grew up. 5. What in the way you live in your home do you think reflects your background? (Think of behaviours like cooking and other day to day activities in the home.) Time Spent in Other Places 6. What impact did time in another country have on the way you live in your home? E.g. did it influence your musical taste, what you eat, what you wear, behaviours such as how you greet people, how you clean? Personal Objects 7. Do you put any personal object in shared spaces?
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8. Do you have any personal object you dont bring on purpose into the shared spaces? 9. Did you bring any objects from your own country/parents home? 10. Do you have an object that makes you feel at home? Please, describe it i. What is it? ii. Where and when did you get it? iii. What is the meaning for you? 11. Do you have any objects that make you more or less homesick? Please, describe them. i. What is it? ii. Where and when did you get it? iii. What is the meaning for you? 12. Do you have any photos or posters in your room? i. What meaning do they have? 13. Do you have a laptop/computer? i. Do you consider it just a tool or does it have any particular meaning for you? ii. Do you let your flatmates use your laptop? Food 14. What is a typical meal you cook and where do you eat it? 20. Are there particular examples of cuisines that you like to eat in your home? 15. Do you eat differently than when you are in your permanent home? 16. Do you prepare by yourself any food that is hard to find in London? 17. Is there any special cooking equipment that you brought from you country? 18. Where do you have your own kitchen equipments such as a mug, plates, a wok, bowls etc.? Do you feel attached to it? 19. Did you bring to London any kind of food or ingredient from your permanent house (country or British county you are from)? Or does your family send it to you? 20. Do you share food from your home country with your flatmates? 21. Do you think that any of the practices we have discussed make you feel more at home than others? What?

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APPENDIX 2.1.7

DOCUMENTATION SAMPLE PHOTOGRAPHS

The Project Photographer (Li Wang) documented each flat capturing images for WRT and ET. Li attempted to complement the interviews taking photographs of objects and spaces mentioned by the participants.

Group photograph of Tower Hamlets; participants gather around the projector that brought them all together.

Objects of sentimental value decorate one room in Tower Hamlets.

Decorations clutter the fridge and showcase individual identities in Tower Hamlets.
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APPENDIX 2.1.8

HANDOVER MATERIAL GROUP SUMMARIES

DSHT made summaries of each household and individual participants highlighting the most relevant information for the handover to WRT and ET. TOWER HAMLETS Collection from Tower Hamlets Student House (Documenting Student Homes Project 2011-12) Material Collected Sound recording, abstract and video recording of group interview Sound recording and abstract of (4x/3x) individual interviews Photographs of shared and private spaces in the home (and home activities) by Li Wang Floor plan of home drawn by each house member Description of the student home Flat of five postgraduate students in East London. The flat is in an ex-council building with 3 bedrooms and a living room which has been converted into a forth bedroom. There is a small kitchen and a separate toilet and bathroom. The forth converted bedroom is still used as a living room and has a sofa and coffee table in it. Three students were interviewed individually and four took part in the group interview. Nationalities in the house include English, French, American and German. Each have spent time in other countries apart from their home countries and travelled a lot which is reflected in the contents of their flat. The participants are all good friends and have known each other for several years. Most of them have lived together before. They are very comfortable around each other and know each others routines. Restrictions of Material The participants mention sub-letting a room out during the group interview which is a sensitive issue, it was not mentioned if they had permission from the landlord. Key information Milk the participants talk about sharing milk and other necessities (toilet roll, hand wash, paper towels) with each other and that it is just bought when needed rather than organised. Milk is shared, however participants joked together about the American participant buying a certain type of milk for himself and filling up the fridge with it. Technology the participants start a discussion about what they do in the house together and claim that most of their interaction revolves about the projector which they use to
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project films and TV series on to a blank wall in the 4th bedroom which is also used as a living room. They claim that the projector is the basis for their social interaction. They also all claim that they store most of their photographs of their family and friends on their laptops rather than print them out. Negotiation participant claimed that because they knew each other quite well they didnt need to have any rules for the shared space, bathroom and kitchen got cleaned every now and then and people took responsibility for their own mess. Cleaning just seems to happen and everyone buys toilet roll when it runs out. BARNET Documenting Student Homes Project 2011-12 (Clearance given and model release form signed for each participant) Material Collected Sound recording, abstract and video recording of group interview Sound recording and abstract of (3x) individual interviews Photographs of shared and private spaces in the home (and home activities) by Li Wang Video recording of Participant 1 (Jamie Larkin) cooking Floor plan of home drawn by each house member

Description of the student home House of three PhD students in North London. Considerable dimension: a dining room with a sofa bed used mostly for the guests, a living room whit television where they spend most of their time when they are at home, a big kitchen, a laundry room, two bathrooms, 4 bedroom. The participants are an English man and two Italians. Another man lives there but we didnt see him and he is not a participant. The room of the Italians contain many objects, reflecting the long period of time in which they have lived there, 3-4 years. On the contrary, the English participant moved there on September and his room is not decorated. Considering that they are PhD students they are older than the target audience of our project and we could see this fact reflected into the cleanliness and the tidiness of the flat. Restrictions of Material None.
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Key information Three of the four flatmates are scientists and for this reason there are several objects related to that topic: shower curtains with the periodic table, a sign of radioactive material on the door of the men bathroom, a poster of what the Italian girl presented in an official meeting posted in her bathroom, a soft toy of a yeast cell in the room of participant 3. The Italians buy most of the necessities because they have got a car. When they have the chance they cook and they eat together, so mostly during the weekend. An Italian flag is tied on the banister at the top of the stairs but its just a coincidence, which can be heard in the group interview. The living room is the place where they spend of the time together, eating or watching the television. Mention of a cleaning schedule, not respected. They often host visitors for period of time which vary from a weekend to a month and a half. CAMDEN Documenting Student Homes Project 2011-12 (Clearance given and model release form signed for each participant) Material Collected Sound recording, abstract and video recording of group interview Sound recording and abstract of (3x) individual interviews Photographs of shared and private spaces in the home (and home activities) by Li Wang

Description of the student home House of three students near Euston Station. The house has got a small kitchen, which is the only shared space, and three bedrooms. The participants are a Vietnamese couple, which shares a room, and a Maltese woman. The latter shares her room with her partner (not participant). Another couple occupy the other room but they are not participants. The
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room of the Maltese woman is quite big and full of objects but a lot of them belong to the landlord. The room shared by the Vietnamese is little and not decorated because they moved there last September. Restrictions of Material The Maltese woman during the interview says that the landlord steals clothes from them, when left to dry in the corridor. She also mentions the fact that the landlord comes very often into the flat, even though he is not supposed to. (not sure if it something we can talk about) Key information The flat reflect the style of the landlord, who is from Bangladesh The three participants are close to each other and they dont need to negotiate the space: they have no rules within each other However, they have to close the door when cooking, because the other couple asked them to Participant 1 (Natasha Azzopardi) is the one who cleans, during the weekends Participant 2 (Tuan Anh Nguyen) admits to have been very lazy, and that he now contributes taking out the trash sometimes They dont share necessities The two women often cook together, but they dont eat together because P.1 is very busy and she prefers to go into her room so that she can study Sometimes the Vietnamese couple goes to buy food in a Vietnamese area in London Visitors? Not enough space. However they talk about an Unwanted visitor, which is the landlord, who comes every day and he uses the kitchen They think they have created a sort of home together, with P.1 considered by P.2 and 3 as an older sister who gives them advice. P.1 agrees (my impression is that she agrees only to some extent) and considers nice to have conversations and to relate with different cultures.

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ISLINGTON (Clearance given and model release form signed for each participant) Collection from Islington Student House (Documenting Student Homes Project 201112) Material Collected 1. Sound recording, abstract and video recording of group interview 2. Sound recording and abstract of 4x individual interviews 3. Photographs of shared and private spaces in the home (and home activities) by Li Wang 4. Floor plan of home drawn by each house member Description of the student home A house of four Chinese postgraduate students near Caledonian Road. This house is a two floors house, including a kitchen, a bed room and storage on the ground floor and two bedrooms in the basement. These students all come from China, but from different regions. Among them, Qian and her boyfriend left for London to study together. On the other hand, they did not know each other before they moved in. They contacted individually with the same Chinese agent. Last tenants are also Chinese. Hence some decorations and equipment such as a flag whether it is brought by participants or left from last tenants all reflect this context in this house . They live, cook and entertaining separately and respect each other's personal live, but will help each other when it is necessary and talk sometimes. Restrictions of Material It seems that Yiyuan does want to let people know he like to go to parties. Key information Background- They all come from China, have the same background and habits. For instance, speaking Mandarin and cooking rice for meals. They do not feel any difference between each other.

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Rice cooker- Three of the participants brought the rice cooker from China to London. Even the functions are similar and they all put them in the kitchen, participants indicate that they will prefer to use their own cooker and storage it after using. Flat rule- They do not have any specific flat rule, however, they separate different section in cupboard and refrigerator unintentionally. Besides, if someone is using the kitchen, others will wait in their room until he/ she finishes. Food- Some of food are post from China or bought from China town. Since they come from different region of China, they sometimes communicate and change recipes with each other. Home Feeling- they do not regard this house a "home", but a temporary house or student dormitory.

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APPENDIX 2.1.9

HANDOVER MATERIAL PARTICIPANT SUMMARIES

TOWER HAMLETS - JACK Collection from Tower Hamlets Student House, Participant Jack (Documenting Student Homes Project 2011-12) Material Collected Sound recording of and abstract of individual interviews Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home Description of the Participant The participant is a male postgraduate student at LSE studying Economic History. Jack is British but lived in France for 10 years with his mother before moving back to the UK to study his undergraduate degree in London. He also had a year abroad while studying him undergraduate degree in Czech Republic. Jack suggests that his idea of home is more abstract that most people as he no longer has a family home and therefore he sees home as a place where he is comfortable. He doesnt have many personal objects except photo albums which contain memories of his childhood and relationships he has had. Jacks bedroom is also used as the living room and has a sofa and coffee table in it, he doesnt mind people using the room as long as he isnt sleeping or studying. He enjoys sharing a flat. Restrictions of Material The participant mentioned that one of the rooms was sublet; this is a sensitive area as we are not sure if the landlords permission was requested. Key information Food definitely eats differently than when he is with his parents, both his mum and stepmum are excellent cooks and make big dishes. He doesnt try and copy them as his usually eats alone and finds cooking for one person quite uninspiring. Usually eats pasta, meat with vegetables or chicken and rice. He thinks that having a nice, big meal makes him feel at home rather than personal objects. Objects Jack suggests that he doesnt decorate his room or move objects from home to home, objects in his room tend to be things that he accumulates over the time he lives there and they often get left behind. For instance, the posters in the room are impersonal, bought this year to cheer the room up. Things that he does tend to keep, such as photo albums, are objects from the past and do not reflect his personality.

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Comfort Jack thinks that the thing that makes him feel the most at home is being comfortable. Having a comfy bed and time to relax. He doesnt view a particular home but people that he feels comfortable with.

TOWER HAMLETS SOPHIE (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Collection from Tower Hamlets Student House, Participant Sophie (Documenting Student Homes Project 2011-12) Material Collected 1. Sound recording of and abstract of individual interviews 2. Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang 3. Floor plan of home Description of the Participant The participant is a female postgraduate student of Politics. She is studying in France but currently undertaking a work placement in the UK. Sophie is French and has only been living in London for one month. She took a year abroad at the University of Pennsylvania, in the United States of America and claims to have been influenced by the year in America in her dress sense, food choice and music to an extent. She only moved into the flat one month ago to live with boyfriend, Sebastian, however she had known the other flatmates before she moved in. As Sophie is only going to be in London for a couple of months she didnt bring many things with her from her home and admits that most of the decoration is Sebastians. Restrictions of Material The participant mentioned that one of the rooms was sublet; this is a sensitive area as we are not sure if the landlords permission was requested. Key information Found Objects Sophie has objects that remind her of particular memories, in this room, she has collected a few things since she moved here that she found interesting or funny, rather than bringing a lot of objects with his. There include newspaper clippings, postcards
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and flowers. Normally she would have photos albums as well but at the moment all her photos are on her laptop. Food Lots of pasta and soup at the moment she says she is not very adventurous. She also eats out more here as its much cheaper that Paris and better for cheap student food. She keeps suggesting that they make a French meal in the flat but they just havent got round to it yet and the ingredients would be a bit more expensive in London. People Sophie suggests that it is the people who make her feel more at home in the flat rather that being in a particular place. She is with her boyfriend and good friends and everyone has made her feel very comfortable.

TOWER HAMLETS SEBASTIAN (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Collection from Tower Hamlets Student House, Participant Sebastian (Documenting Student Homes Project 2011-12) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interviews Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home

Description of the Participant The participant is a male postgraduate student at LSE studying Development Management. Sebastian is from Germany but has been living in the UK for a number of years both with his parents and at University. He studied his undergraduate degree in London and his parents currently live near Oxford. He has travelled widely around the world and during his undergraduate degree did a year abroad in the United States of America at the University of Pennsylvania. His interest in travel can be seen in his decoration, such as a large wall world map, and postcards from around the world. Sebastian is currently living with his girlfriend Sophie, who moved in about a month ago. This has had a change in some of his behaviours, such as eating. He liked to share a flat and to have other people around him when he gets home to talk to. Restrictions of Material
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The participant mentioned that one of the rooms was sublet; this is a sensitive area as we are not sure if the landlords permission was requested. Key information Food changed since Sophie moved in as now he has to accommodate her tastes. Less spicy food as Sophie doesnt like it as much although he admitted that Mexican food is his favourite cuisine. Tends to buy food from the reduced section of the local Tesco which he goes to because it is cheap and sometimes hold inspiration if unsure what to cook. Big difference between eating in student home and at parents home is that he eats out more in London, as there is a bigger choice of cheaper meals out. Record Player Mentioned in passing as an object he wouldnt take into the shared spaces of the flat because it might get broken easily. It is also an object that came from his home (going to contact participant to find out more about the story of the record player). Posters/Postcards He suggests that these are the biggest indicators of his identity in the room. World map which can be scratched off to show were he has been, posters of his favourite books, postcards from him girlfriends when she lived abroad. Show little memories.

BARNET JAMIE (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interview Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home Video recording of him cooking a risotto

Description of the Participant English. PhD in the IoA. Moved in the flat in September 2011. Restrictions of Material None.
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Key information Home for him is the one of his parents in Middlesbrough. In the last 5-6 years he has lived in a different house each year, so he didnt want to decorate them, never want to settle because he knew there were temporary. But he feels that this house is the most home he has been, so hes planning to decorate the room. He likes to live with other people but he also likes the fact that his flatmates arrive at home like 2 hours later so hes got some time on his own. He has got a Christmas card on the desk his girlfriend gave him and many books. The most relevant object related to his identity is a cup from Barnes and Noble an exgirlfriend gave him, with the picture of a lot American writers he likes to read. He has lived 2 months in New Mexico and 2 months in Italy. Henceforth, he started eating and preparing himself Italian food. For some reason he brought a knife, a fork and a spoon from his home and he likes to that cutlery because it kinda feels like home when he uses them. When he has got time or just want to relax he likes to cook a stew or a soup in the way his mother and his grandmother do, buying the vegetables at Lidl, like his mother does.

BARNET ALESSANDRA (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interview Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home

Description of the Participant Italian. PhD in Biochemistry/Molecular biology. Moved in the flat in 2009. Restrictions of Material None.
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Key information She decorates her room with postcards from places and exhibitions she visited creating a kind of mosaic (quote). She needs to have an espresso every morning and she loves the smell of it. She loves cooking: especially Italian dishes, pasta in particular, but also Thai food and noodles, something that she has started to eat since she moved to London. She lived for three months in Spain, but apart from the fact that she likes it, theres no influence still visible on her present life: she said that living in Spain is very similar than living in Italy so she cannot distinguish the difference. She brought only the espresso cups from Italy (too expansive in London) and when she goes home she takes back some typical pastries called Pasticciotti. Sometimes her parents send her a particular handmade jelly she loves. I would like to stress the moment in the interview in which she mentions the word Pasticciotti because you can hear how in love she is with this specialty, and it seems to me that for her has a value which goes beyond the food itself. Talking about the impact of London on her life, she mentions the fact that she used to live in a small city in Italy, so she misses the opportunity to go out without worrying about the distances and without spending too long to reach her friends. On the other side, she loves the chance to see many gigs, as she has done many times during the years, of band which would never play in her hometown. Although nothing of the things discussed makes her really feel like at home because her lifestyle in the hometown is a way too different to compare it with her life in London, she likes to have long lunches (many dishes) on Sunday with other Italians, as it is a tradition in the South of Italy where she is from originally. BARNET GABRIELE (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interview Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home
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Description of the Participant Italian. PhD in Biochemistry/Molecular biology. Moved in the flat in October 2009. Restrictions of Material None. Key information Home for him its a nice place to rest after a hard day working He likes to decorate his room and we could observe that from the amount of objects in his room. He said that he keeps everything he considers funny. It makes him feel more comfortable His identity and personal taste is reflected by the objects related to music (guitar, ukulele, gigs tickets) and from things related to his work (a poster of a seminar he gave, a soft toy of yeast cell-not mentioned in the interview though). He keeps a personalized calendar from the 2009 made by a friend of him with a lot of photos of him and his friends. The true value (quote) hes taking from London is that here you can live like you want and no-one judges you, unlike in Italy occurs. He doesnt cook that much because he says is too lazy to do it. Also, he doesnt consider the food you can have outside so good, but its cheap and sometimes he eats in ethnic restaurants. Something that makes him feel like at home is having a meal together with his flatmate, even ordering pizzas, as long as they eat together

CAMDEN NATASHA (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interview Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang
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Description of the Participant Maltese. Health care services MB. Moved in the flat in September 2011. Restrictions of Material She says that the landlord has stolen her clothes in the past. Key information Home is where you come back finding your mother cooking She finds difficult to live in this flat because of the other couple (the one who has not taken part in our project) and because of the landlord Interesting observations about the impact of London on her everyday life: a rat race; the thick box system Living abroad she has learnt to be diplomatic, which is not strictly necessary in her country She considers London her home, because here she lives with her partner Typical meals: tabbouleh and chicken broth Relevant object: a mug she never takes out of her room She always brings back from Malta some special biscuits and some special snacks, and she asks to anyone who visits her to bring them What makes her feel more like at home? Bringing people together through food

CAMDEN TA (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interview Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang

Description of the Participant Vietnamese. Architecture student. He moved in the flat in September 2011.
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Restrictions of Material None. Key information Home is where you feel safe and you can relax, but it is also related to the family Eating Vietnamese food and staying with his girlfriend makes him feel like he is in Vietnam He told us that apart from that he doesnt behave like a Vietnamese: he used to hate kebab and curry, now he loves them, he likes to eat fish and chips, and almost every Sunday he has the roast His trip in Singapore made him reflecting about the difference with such an innovative country compared to Vietnam, considering that they are neighbours. He decided to study English and live his life more positively He has some objects from Vietnam, but he keeps them in the luggage, because at the beginning he was supposed to stay for a short period of time in that flat, so he found pointless to decorate his room. Thats why now they are still there, but when he misses home he takes them out He didnt bring any kitchen equipment or food to London Once a month he goes to some Vietnamese shop in the North of London to buy Vietnamese food and he stores it

CAMDEN HOA (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interview Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang

Description of the Participant Vietnamese. She studies Finance. She didnt tell us when she moved in the flat, but probably recently
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Restrictions of Material None. Key information Home is where her parents and relatives live She would like to decorate her room showing her personality and style, but not in the flat she lives in When she moved she got shocked by the impact of the country and for her was terrible. She couldnt adapt, and actually she says that even if it is better now she is still very homesick, although she lives with her boyfriend. Indeed, London hasnt changed her. She only eats Vietnamese food She brought a lot of stuff from home: dry food, rice, a rice cooker, chopsticks, a duvet, a mat Object of personal significance: a photo album with the pictures of her family, and a diary she writes on when she cannot control herself. (Unfortunately both of the objects were in the flat where she lived before) She used to share the food brought from Vietnam with the other Vietnamese flatmates (previous flat), since she told them to bring other kinds of food so that they could share everything together She wants to come back to her country and live with her family

ISLINGTON ECHO (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interviews Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home

Description of the Participant

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Echo is a Chinese girl from South-western part from China. She lives with her boyfriend in the bedroom on the ground floor. This is her first year in London and will just stay a year for Cultural Heritage Studies MA. Restrictions of Material She does not want her real name to be used in the exhibition. Key information Home feeling- the place to rest and share memory with family members, but she treats this house as a place to sleep just for a year not a home ,so did not decorate it. Personal objectJade Buddha- Her mom gave her to protect her. Even she does not believe it , she still keeps it carefully. Silver Bracelet- people from her hometown believe it could release pressure. photos- In laptop, she doesn't have the habit to put photos on walls even at her permanent home. Voice record from parents- she listen to it when she is homesick. Rice cooker- for hot pot and daily food. post card and card, unique link with her friends. Chopsticks- doesn't share with others. She eats everything with it or hand. Food- Before leaving for London, she does not have strong favour of Chinese dishes. She used to like western food, but after living in London for a while she prefer Chinese food. Besides, drinking tea and cooking Chinese food may release her homesick. Behaviour-She likes to watch Youtube which she cannot watch in China.

ISLINGTON WEIJIA (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interviews
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Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home

Description of the Participant Weijia is a Chinese postgraduate student of Executive Leadership programme from southern part of China. He lives a bedroom in the basement. He was the last one to move in to this house. This is his second year in UK. Previously, he was an exchange student here for a year. Weijia expressed that as he is still young, he wants to enjoy the feeling and experience in the foreign country, hence he cares about the atmosphere and feeling between his roommates. Most of the time, he prefers to stay in his room. Restrictions of Material He downloads music and streams films and TV series from the internet. Key information Home feeling- a comfortable place you can relax and feel satisfied. Personal objectLaptop- His parent bought for him when he was undergraduate. He views it as his private object that cannot be put in share spaces and share with others. Chinese Calendar- Acquired from China town, he regards it has many element reflecting his background and uses it to decorate his room. Rice cooker FoodEven he cooks Chinese dishes here, he still think that is very differ from the food at his permanent home. In China, people are used to using gas to cook, hence he indicated it is difficult to control the same temperature (firing) by electric pot in London. In the first year his parent sent dried foods such as dried fungi and Tremella, but then he found he could buy most of them in china town. He often cooks spaghetti in Chinese style with sweet sour source. Traditional Chinese food, noodle, china town and mandarin make him more homesick but also release his homesick at the same time.
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BehaviourListen to Jacky Chen (Chinese Movie star)'s song to release his homesick and encourage himself. He changes his clothing style in London, tries to learn from his classmates and people on the street. He celebrated the Chinese New Year, watching the same New Year Show at the same time in front of laptop with his family, just as he is at home.

ISLINGTON YANG (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interviews Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home

Description of the Participant Yang is from South-western part from China. He lives with his girlfriend, participant 1, in the bedroom on the ground floor. This is his first year in London and he will only stay a year for Finance masters degree, hence he think it is quite short that he does not have a problem with being home sick. Yang used to share a single room with several roommates, thus he tends to share everything with his roommates. Restrictions of Material He does not what his real name to be used in the exhibition. Key information Home feeling- a place you can relax and reflect yourself and live with your family. Personal objectTraditional costume- He think it can stands the culture, and may dress up in summer.

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Chopsticks- Brought from home, just since it is handy. He eats everything with them, even he uses forks and knifes outside. Rice cooker- He indicated that he can live without it but it is so convenient! Wool cap- It is made by his mom, as she was worried about the cold weather in London. He does not wear it but keep it carefully. FoodHe tries to cook traditional Chinese food that mom used to cooking at home. Shopping in china town for festival food or special material. Normally eat mix-food daily, eg rice with pizza. Used to love western food in china but he found that it is hard to control weight by eating western food. Brought some dried fruit and ingredient from home. He did not eat bread for breakfast in China, but he does now. BehaviourLondon influences his living style and view a lot. Cooking indicates personal identity and reflects his background.

ISLINGTON YIYUAN (Clearance given and model release form signed by participant) Material Collected Sound recording and abstract of individual interviews Photographs of personal objects, private and shared space by Li Wang Floor plan of home

Description of the Participant

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Yiyuan is a Chinese undergraduate student of Chemical Engineering programme from southern part of China. He lives a bedroom in the basement. He was the third housemate to move in to the house. This is his second year in UK. Yiyuan is the only one who do not cook in this house, hence he does not have many objects and much equipment. He goes to Chinese restaurants every day. He indicated that he does not like to share house with others but he still get along with the other flatmates well and feels comfortable here. Restrictions of Material None. Key information Home feeling- where parent and wife live. FoodDoes not cook, he still prefers go to Chinese restaurant every day. When he came to London, he brought seven bottles of sauce with him, but he had found he can buy everything in China town. BehaviourLondon does not influence him much, most of his friends are Chinese and he also likes Chinese music and clothing style. Walks a lot- comparing with China traffic in London is not convenient and expensive. Since there are not heaters at homes in southern part of China, thus he feels so warm in the house in London in winter.

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APPENDIX 2.1.10

HANDOVER SAMPLE INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW ABSTRACT

Tower Hamlets Individual Interview Abstract Jack (UCL Documenting Student Homes Project 2011-12) What does home mean to you? Where my bed is where sleep at night

Do you enjoy sharing a flat? Yes, enjoy it, feel very comfortable

Do you decorate your room in a particular style? Not really mainly with impersonal objects found throughout the year not set decoration as it comes throughout the year. Objects that find interesting not personal move around a lot what accumulate in the year. Some objects do move with me but some get left - it depends what they are.

Have you go any special personal objects? Objects that are from the past, they not reflect personality more special objects that have some significance Things to remind me of memories rather than personality For example I carry a lot of photos with me photo albums take them with me and them keep with me, old photos from the past which I feel attached to me when I was young. Dont look through it regularity but its there and its nice to have it there.

Are there any behaviours that reflect your background? Not cooking. Being comfortable cant live without comfortable basics being warm and comfortable lounging in dressing gown with hot chocolate.

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Tell us about your time spent abroad: 10 years growing up in France with mother. 1 year in Czech Republic as part of a study abroad program. I dont have a sense of where home is home is where I sleep because having travelled around a lot therefore I dont have a place in mind and a location that is home. Feeling always moving now and very comfortable with that idea. To some extent the French idea of home does affect me - more sense of family in the UK people are more independent - in France life more social and family orientated - in England it is a more individual experience.

What about eating and other behaviours? Other countries have changed my behaviours a lot Firstly, English background has affected the way I live but France has changed me more culturally cooking, food, music. Would you put any personal objects in the shared spaces? Not really, probably not maybe a few books. My bedroom is kind of a shared space too but in other rooms (like the kitchen), natural instinct is not to shared my stuff throughout the flat. Wouldnt bring very personal things letters and photographs, family photos into the shared space.

Did you bring anything from your parents home? Only really practical things from parents things that were needed for the kitchen and bathroom. Also lots of books Dad and I share lots of books I am always bringing them back and forth Also music and things that I would need throughout the year Not a lot of personal objects tend to have photos and messages or funny items that remind me of something cinema tickets etc more about missing particular relationships or time in the past rather the physical home more abstract.
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What about the posters on your walls? Posters are very impersonal not much connection with them bought at start of the year just something to put up thought they would make people think of the guys who lived here. The others are from my girlfriend who wanted to brighten up the room. There are also things on the wall are all things that have happened to me this year, like cinema tickets.

Whats your typical meal? Typical meal would be pasta or meat (chicken or pork) with vegetables or chicken and rice those are my three main favourites. Eat in here (bedroom/living room) usually sometime with flatmates if they cook at the same time, either on the sofa or bed. I definitely eat differently from my parents homes. My mum is an excellent cook and cooks big meals for all of us, like pies or stews. I dont try and copy as I dont feel I have the time and cooking for one person feels very uninspiring.

Do you cook anything from your time spent abroad? Not Czech food, but French food occasionally as its nice and good ingredients, like French cheeses, lots of garlic. But mostly cook quite basic food. Its not difficult to find French ingredients in London.

Do you have any special cooking equipment? I dont have special cooking things and also didnt buy plates/mugs brought from parents home or were here already. I share everything with flatmates.

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What makes you feel more at home? Having a nice meal makes me feel like Im at home. The personal objects I keep dont make me feel at home. But I have a more abstract concept of home good meal makes me feel like Im at home with me mum but no objects make me feel at home. Being at home and being comfortable - nice bed, big kitchen is homely but dont think of one particular home.

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APPENDIX 2.1.11

HANDOVER SAMPLE GROUP INTERVIEW ABSTRACT

Tower Hamlets Group Interview Abstract - Jack, Seb, Sophie and Ted Living together Jack and Seb have lived together before and they are very good friends with Ted, who was on year abroad in the US with Seb and Sophie. Sophie is Sebs girlfriend and only recently moved in with them. They also have a sub - letter as one of the permanent housemates is away for a while.

Home contents of communal areas They dont put many of their personal objects in the living room as it is also Jacks bedroom and the other flatmates do not want to invade his private staff with their stuff. One wall is deliberately left free for projecting films onto. There are not many things that reflect their background/home countries or identities although they claim that Ted often has quirky American things around the flat, such as a George Foreman Grill (which they dont use often) and fake Starbucks cups, frozen margarita mix and protein shakes. Seb sometimes has German cakes when he has visited his parents. Jack also brings food back from his mothers house is France, such as French cheeses. The only thing that is always kept in the living room that doesnt belong to Jack is Sebs guitar that is kept in the living room so they can all enjoy playing together.

Objects fit a style? They see the flat as standard British type of student housing, weird cream coloured walls of rented housing. They think the flat is quite normal for student housing in London, lots of problem with it, including a mould problem in the bathroom and Sebs room. The landlord painted over it with white paint so one wall doesnt match the others. They maybe have a focus on the US in the flat such as the cooking things for Ted and US cultural things, such as West wing boxset.

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Negotiate use of shared space They are very close friends and are keen to share all the space in the flat with each other in an easy way. They dont have much space and Jack is happy to let the others use his room as a living room, even when he is in there. Most of the time, except when he is sleeping, he is fine to have people there. They have no rules in the shared space, they all use the showers at different times, and it works well. There isnt enough space in the kitchen to argue about it, everyone just takes their turn. There are no flat rules, as they have never really found it necessary to talk about it. Things seem to work quite well, the rubbish is just taken out. They said it might be more awkward if they werent such good friends but they are all used to each other and know each others routines. Soap and toilet paper is just bought, rather than discusses, although sometimes they end up with many rolls of toilet paper.

Cleaning Cleaning is the same it is never discussed, just happens. Each person takes care of their own patch and they all take a care not to make the living room too dirty. Sometimes they will have a group session in the kitchen and clean it really well. Cleaning just seems to have and didnt divide it up methodologically. They tend to share milk, although Ted buys skimmed milk and no one else seems to use it they joked about ted taking up the whole fridge with large bottles of milk that no one else wants. The doors to peoples rooms are usually open and its easy to go in and talk to each other if doors are closed they knock and if they dont hear anything they try again, they have very good communication.

Objects They dont really leave personal objects in the kitchen but they have decorated the fridge. They claim this is to make it look a bit nicer and it also reflects common memories. At one point they realised they hasnt decorated the hallway or the kitchen, and Seb has a few posters left over so they added then, the some postcards and finally some Labour propaganda from Jack.
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Fridge The fridge is not organised in any particular way, everything just lets put in and often forgotten and it gets cleaned out.

Shopping They dont cook together often but they eat together a lot when they are all in the house together. Such as having breakfast and burgers. It mainly happens when they are all in the flat together and someone has an idea for a meal.

Shopping Most of the flatmates shop at the local Tesco express and use the reduced to clear section. Seb and Sophie buy food together and share but the others buy separately. Ted often does an online shop which gets delivered to the flat.

Entertainment When they spend time together it is generally in the living room and they often watch films and TV series on the projector. They joke that the projector holds them together. They sometimes play the guitar together. And they often used to play basketball downstairs together but they dont do that in the winter as much.

Visitors They see themselves as very social people and have friends from a number of different countries. Friends from around London often come by to say hello and they have film nights. They also have their own friends round that others dont know as well. If people stay over the night they have a blow up bed they can stay on. They have no rules about visitors coming and they has never been any reason to set any, very one is respectful of the other people living in the flat. There were some jokes about political opinions being a factor in allow people into the flat. They has a party the week before, although they tend to be pre-drinks before going out rather than full blown parties so they dont annoy theyre neighbours. They do think they have made a home together weirdly, as they call care about other and they enjoy living with one another.
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APPENDIX 2.1.12

ACCESSIONING SAMPLE ISLINGTON

Note: ET altered the house names for increased privacy in the exhibition. DSHT, however, accessioned the homes under original names. Caledonia Road = Islington House.
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APPENDIX 2.1.13

GM ACCESSIONED HOME COLLECTION - ISLINGTON

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APPENDIX 2.1.14

DSHT REPORTAGE PHOTOGRAPHS

DSHT members, Hannah Brown and Riccardo Fazzalari, prepare the audio recording equipment before an interview.

DSHT member, Chao-Chieh Wu, conducts an individual interview inside Sophies room in the Tower Hamlets flat.

DSHT members listen closely to stories recounted by Jack, a Tower Hamlets participant.
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