North London Food & Culture

How ace is Superfix Archway?

An inspired civic project by artist Rowan Durrant is capturing the imagination of the N19 community - but the deadline for suggestions is next week

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The “superfixed” bench in front of Archway Library. Photo: Rowan Durrant

We’re a bit late on this, but as the closing date is next week (March 15), we thought it more than worth a last minute plug.

Superfix Archway is artist Rowan Durrant’s project to transform anything that “requires attention”, from missing signs to drains and broken benches.

Commissioned by the Archway Town Centre Group (the folk behind last year’s Archway With Words litfest) it’s the perfect urban enterprise, both witty and pragmatic.

“Although it’s a new participatory art work, it’s actually the continuation of an on-going Superfix project,” says Durrant. “Within this project objects needing attention are fixed, repaired, or replaced and finished in a bright high gloss orange.”


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It all started when his university lecture room door at Byam Shaw School of Art (Central Saint Martin) was installed, but no door handles had been specified. “For weeks the door had to be prized open with rulers,” he says. Thinking this was an easy thing to fix and to draw attention to the alteration, he installed no less than “six door handles”.

The site of the first public work, however, was an old bench in front of Archway Library (see main pic). “I transformed the existing concrete stumps into a usable seat,” he says.

For Superfix Archway, suggestions are sent in from the local community to address the objects that they want fixed. And, without further ado, here are Durrant’s top three favourite Superfixes to date:

Superfixed Drain Cover

Drain cover. Photo: Rowan Durrant
Drain cover. Photo: Rowan Durrant

Find it: N195SZ

Superfixed W

Superfixed W. Photo: Rowan Durrant
Superfixed W. Photo: Rowan Durrant

Find it: N19 5SE

Superfixed Fleur-de-lis

Superfixed Fleur-de-lys (currently being repaired). Photo: Rowan Durrant
Superfixed Fleur-de-lys (currently being repaired). Photo: Rowan Durrant

Find it: N19 5QU

For more info – and to suggest something, head here. Closing date for ideas is March 15th


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