Blyth Commons of Things Part 1 Project 2025 Tom Jenner Newcastle University | UK In a climate of overconsumption, online shopping and the search for novelty, the significance of celebrating ordinary objects is indisputable. Not only do these objects surround us in our lives and communities, but they also become imbued with stories of origin, place, memory and identity. We must regain pride in our possessions, tending to them as an extension of our own experience and memory. Our minimal attachment to objects feeds the drive to rebuy, necessitating the need for a new system that evokes collective responsibility for preexisting possessions such as furniture, family heirlooms and scrap materials.The Commons of Things is a project that aims to bring together the people of Blyth, Northumberland. Countering growing trends of consumption and excess by teaching how to mend and take care of possessions, local residents will be encouraged to envision a sustainable future. Studying the high street in Blyth was fundamental, shaping an understanding of how Britain’s high streets have reached a point of decline. It became evident that excessive consumption ultimately leads to huge emotional or physical cost within the community, and that the best way of confronting this is by sharing knowledge and resources. The Commons reclaims the high street, repurposes waste and tailors the mode of consumption for the people of Blyth. Tutor(s)