Turn That Empty Elephant Into An Exhibit | Alternative Fruit

Daydreaming is a sign of intelligence. Many of us have been scorned for gazing into air while the teacher is communicating the various ins and outs of their particular subject, and perhaps it's a time and a place thing more than a moral thing. Let's not forget that thought experiments were the chosen medium of eminent scientists such as Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawkin, who both for various reasons had no ability to use technology to experiment with.


According to Professor of Psychology at Georgia Tech, Eric Schumacher, “efficient brains may have too much brain capacity to stop their minds from wandering” (futurity). In other words, I think he means that sometimes things are not rich enough for our minds to focus 100% of their thinking power on. So rather than putting on blinkers, which is what the teacher tries to do, perhaps just enrich the information, thicken the plot, give the child or person some meat instead of milk.


So what's all this talk about Elephants? It's not just a clever abstract thought to get you on this website. There's a sports centre in Coventry that has been sent to the afterlife. It's no longer fit for purpose, according to new regulations. The 1970s design and architecture experiment needs to change. The large grey, angular building called the “Elephant” is facing a regeneration.


We know arts and culture are good for us. It says so in the Guardian. Alternative Fruit has also mentioned it a few times seeing as it's why it's here in the first place. Never the less, replacing a sports centre with an arts and culture centre doesn't sound like too big a leap of intent. It's the mind this time which is being given the right to exercise. The new concept includes a free to use arts a culture space plus a handful of city lofts for the lucky ones who get to live there.


The new concept has been put together by Alan Denyer of AWD Restorations and has the nod from Coventry University. 500 local artists and regulars at the sports centre (due to be relocated) all agree that the venture is worth while. Making use of brown space in this way is a great way of giving back to the community and allowing the community to enrich itself in the process. More of things like this please.