Newspaper
Planning the future of London
Multidisciplinary practice East is celebrating a double success after being short-listed in two different categories in the London Planning Awards 2006.
East’s Waterloo development framework, commissioned by the Greater London Authority, Lambeth Council and Transport for London, is nominated for Best conceptual project contributing to London’s future.
Director Julian Lewis said: “We saw that there was a big disjunction between the north and south of Waterloo with the station creating one of the biggest problems in that it’s very difficult to negotiate.
“So, one of the strongest things that came out of our research was the idea of trying to link Lower Marsh with the South Bank and the best way of that happening, from our point of view, was to tie in with some of the developments that were already happening.”
He continued: “Part of the possible scenario was levelling the concourse inside Waterloo station, so that it would be dropped down to meet the main square and that would begin to give you the opportunity to link north and south parts at the same time.
“What we’ve done is set a tone for the public space, so that it helps to drive the development spatially, rather than the other way round, as it usually the case.” The practice’s second nomination is in the Best community or partnership initiative category for its work on Acton Town Square on behalf of the London Borough of Ealing and local community group Action Acton.
Lewis said: “The announcement of its status as one of the mayor’s 100 spaces prompted an incredible process of consultation, whereby Ealing in conjunction with Action Acton engaged with all the community stakeholders, including local businesses, residents’ groups and the church.
“As a space, it was badly laid out,” he explained. “There were too many trees and planters in a way that meant you couldn’t really see where you were going and there was a lot of anti-social behaviour going on in there.
“So, it was really a project to clear the space and allow access to other spaces – a very straightforward scheme. But something that meant that people could begin to use it, and what has happened is that between us we’ve managed to push a temporary market to happen there, as well as a carnival and all sorts of other seasonal events, which is very exciting,” he added.
The awards are supported by the mayor of London, London First and the Royal Town Planning Institute and aim to recognise the innovative work carried out by London’s planners and how it has contributed towards the capital’s future. They will be presented by Ken Livingstone at a ceremony in City Hall on 28 November 2006. Discuss this article
Would you like to read more? To receive your copy of the Landscape Institute's monthly newspaper subscribe today.
