To mark the anniversary of John Ruskin’s birthday, Martin Fidler and Andrew Stuck organised a Ruskin Walk in Shoreditch on Saturday 8 February 2014.

It may have rained a little but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of some 20 people on the look out for ways in which John Ruskin’s life and work had influenced the way in which  people have lived and worked in Shoreditch.

Here are some of the comments made by participants –

– Good way to spend Saturday morning: bit of architecture, bit of drawing, bit of Ruskin, bit of design ‘puzzling’.  Fab!

– Eclectic day full of inspiring ideas and surprising connections.

– As usual, it was the doing that was the most interesting. Looking and drawing at Unto this Last, drawing at Arnold Circus, but most especially building and sharing drawings at the Geffrye Museum.  Again the ‘active gift’, the board, make the walk extra special. Enjoyable and effective.  Well done!

– Excellent atmosphere and original ideas for this ‘constructive’ and instructive walk – will come again!

– Another successful Ruskin Walk. Loved the East End location and the links with Ruskin’s ethos.  Give us more! 

We would like to thank the furniture shop and workshop premises of Unto This Last, in Brick Lane, run by local entrepreneur Olivier Geoffroy who not only contributed a warm venue for the start of the walk but also an intriguing sketch board for each participant. The walk ended at the fascinating Geffrye Museum, who kindly provided an art studio, in which participants came together to share their discoveries and assemble some 3D structures from the sketch boards.

Further Ruskin Walks will be announced shortly.

Learn more about Ruskin Walks – http://www.ruskinwalks.org.uk

This article previously appeared on the Rethinking Cities website