Zhili Shi

The Eel Pie Island shipyard stands as a vital remnant of the island’s rich history—one of resilience, creativity, and self-sufficiency. In response to the Space of Assembly brief, this project reimagines the shipyard as an adaptive, participatory space for skill-sharing and communal making. By preserving the site’s industrial heritage while introducing new forms of engagement, the proposal reinforces the unique, self-organized culture that defines Eel Pie Island.

This project builds on that ethos by transforming the shipyard into a dynamic assembly space—a place where knowledge, tools, and skills are exchanged through hands-on collaboration. The intervention fosters a cooperative work-exchange system, allowing craftspeople, boat builders, artists, and local makers to engage in shared production while preserving the spirit of resistance against commercial development.

By engaging with commoning practices, this proposal envisions the shipyard as more than a site for craftsmanship—it becomes a social infrastructure that enables new networks of cooperation and solidarity. In a time when urban development threatens niche, self-sustaining communities, this project seeks to protect and evolve Eel Pie Island’s legacy, ensuring its role as a living model of shared creativity and resistance.