After looking back at the archival photographs of my childhood dens i also wanted to look for inspiration for my new dens through other dens made by other people. It was actually quite difficult to find photographs because i think the creation of dens are normally very much in the moment and you get so wrapped up within the game that you forget to ever take a photograph. I found this with my own archival photographs that the best dens which i can actually remember making still all this time later are not photographed. This is simply because they were very much for the moment. I remember that i have heard someone that when asked what the best memory of a persons childhood was that featured no adult interference the most common answer is den building. Within my project i am only really considering den building outside in different environments but dens could be structures built at home or built literally anywhere. I’ve created a small mood board above just to consider some of the common features of dens. 

All of the dens i have seen have a roof. The whole point to them seems to be to create a space which is separated from the environment around them by a wall of material. I think a massive part to it is to create something, a space which is exclusively yours and for those others that you let inside. Another key feature seems to be the adding of blankets and pillows into the den so that it is comfy and cosy. This seems to have a lot to do with feeling safe and creating an environment in which the individuals feel protected. Most of the dens above are pretty much free standing which is why they all seem to have this tipi or tent shape to them. I’m planning on using the environment a little bit more within my structures so to have the blankets hanging off the trees and other elements of the environment incorporated into my structure. Colour also seems to be a big part of the dens, though this probably isn’t particularly planned but it is something i want to incorporate into my dens.