Time Capsule: 1906–2026–2106
Honouring the Past. Capturing the Present. Imagining the Future.
Alice Billing House, located just behind Stratford Town Hall, is a historic landmark in Newham. Originally built in 1906 as accommodation for the West Ham Fire Brigade, it stands as a symbol of the borough’s architectural and social heritage. In 2024, the South Block was restored and reopened as home to 11 artist studios. In 2026, the Grade II-listed North Block will be transformed into additional creative workspaces.
To mark this significant moment of transformation, we are launching the Time Capsule Project—an ambitious, artist-led initiative that invites the local community to reflect on what heritage means today, and how we want to be remembered 100 years from now. The capsule will be sealed in 2026 and opened in 2106, exactly 200 years after the building’s original construction.
A Living Archive of Newham Today
From Summer 2025 through to the end of 2026, we’ll invite artists, studio holders, schools, and community groups to help shape the contents of the capsule.
Through these activities, we aim to build a diverse and meaningful snapshot of life in Newham—one that future generations can open, explore, and learn from.
Designing the Capsule and Celebrating the Legacy
The Time Capsule itself will be a commissioned, handcrafted object—possibly embedded into the floor or wall of the new Community Pavilion and marked with a plaque. We’re also exploring the idea of a glass viewing panel, so that the capsule remains a visible, conversation-starting feature of the building.
A public ceremony in 2026 will mark the capsule’s entombment, coinciding with the reopening of the North Block. This will be a celebratory moment for the local community and a chance to raise the profile of Alice Billing House as a growing hub for creativity, culture, and connection in Newham.
This project offers a rare opportunity to reflect, record, and reimagine—connecting past, present, and future in one extraordinary act of collective storytelling.