The Dungeons, Lea Bridge Road
The Dungeons, Lea Bridge Road
About the project
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Rendezvous Projects worked with Brain Records and DJ Dlux (Creative Engagement Services), to capture some of the history of The Dungeons night club, Leyton. The project was funded by a grant from the Mayor of London’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm as part of Untold Stories.
The Dungeons was an underground club in the arches underneath Lea Bridge Road, accessed via Lammas Road and the Greyhound pub at 91 Lea Bridge Road. It was well known during the 80s and 90s, synonymous with rave and nascent jungle culture. It was culturally and historically significant, having been an informative venue where many DJ and producers careers were borne out of, and where many creative collaborations originated. It was an important meeting point for local people, but ravers would also pour in from all over the country to hear DJs and MCs such as Rob Acteson, Linden C, Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson, Fabio, Grooverider, Ellis D, Swift & Zinc, Vicki Edwards, DJ Louise, Rhythm Doctor, Mr C, Evil Eddie Richards, Lennie De Ice, Chalky White and so many more . The first recorded rave nights were around 1987. It closed in 1994. It reopened sporadically during the 2000s, but remains closed and is likely to be part of a new redevelopment of the area.
Brain Records put on many successful nights during the 90s, building a community of artists and audience including DJ Dlux, TDK, Randall, Cool Hand Flex, Peshay and Randall.
The grant from Mayor of London was specifically to test new ways of working, aiming to find new mediums for surfacing untold stories. For the project we explored AR and VR for eliciting memories and sharing social history with the help of the Hi3 Network, part of Southbank University.
Capturing The Dungeons: A Virtual Preservation
The process: Photogrammetry
One of our goals was to map and preserve the space, a venue which holds significant memories for many people.
Located in Victorian brick arches underneath Lea Bridge Road, it lacked electricity and was inherently damp.
To document the space, we employed Photogrammetry to extract 3D data from photographs. Collaborating with VR artist Sean Rodrigo, we used a three DSLR camera rig and lights to methodically photograph the area, resulting in over 4,000 images. These were then processed into a 3D model to share online.
The results
The various models created are shared on Sketchfab and can be viewed through VR headsets.
High res version (for desktop) by Oluwafemi Lamusa – this version contains annotations which link to audio extracts.
Low res version by Sean Rodrigo.
Low res version of arch one by Sean Rodrigo.
VR virtual tour
Bizzy B created a 360 virtual tour of the space and talks the audience through the history of the space.
Bringing history to life
The process: volumetric capture and AR
With The Dungeons closed for many years, we wanted to find a way to give an insight into the activities that once happened there – particularly for passers-by. Our aim was to test having a ‘living statue’ installed outside the venue, accessible via QR codes around the site.
Through the Hi3 Network at Southbank University we got the opportunity to use their volumetric capture suite. We worked with dancer, Kezi Warwick, to capture a loop of her dancing to tracks produced by Brain Records.
We then worked with Oluwafemi Lamusa to create a simple AR app with the dancer looped to a Brain Record track and a link to a webpage about the history of The Dungeons.
Testing in situ outside the former pub and club
Due to the impending development we were not permitted to put signs on the road outside the venue and therefore tested the concept instead.
Oral histories
We collected new oral histories and editing some of our existing oral histories for specific references to The Dungeons.
Events
We shared the material gathered via a couple of events at Crate St James Street.
