South End Public Realm, Croydon Landscape Redevelopment, London Project, Architecture, Architect

South End Public Realm, London

Croydon Redevelopment: Streetscape Transformation Project England design by HASSELL

25 Nov Feb 2015

Croydon Public Realm Project

Design: HASSELL

Location: South End, Croydon, London, England

Reversing the fortunes of a London High Street

The South End High Street Public Realm project was the first in a program of projects being delivered by the London Borough of Croydon to renew and enhance key high streets in the area. The Council wanted to re-establish the high street as a place of enterprise and community life.

The HASSELL plan was to stitch together the streets, squares and open spaces of Croydon to create welcoming, vibrant and safe public places that people wanted to be part of.

Creative collaboration brings life to the street
HASSELL worked with creative agency We Made That, to transform a vacant property into a site for community consultation called ‘The Ideas Shop’. Out of this consultation, HASSELL developed a design that addressed many of the issues raised by the people that live and work in the area.

We Made That led the improvements to tired shop fronts, while HASSELL designed the reinvigorated public realm and focused on removing clutter from the street to put the heritage of local buildings back on show. Newly planted trees helped soften gathering areas and a variety of public art and bespoke graphics brought a splash of colour and life to walls and windows.

The width of the road was narrowed and the footpath expanded to create a more pedestrian friendly environment. New cycle facilities were also added.

The team also looked for other ways to activate the street. Young people from Croydon’s Turnaround Centre created artwork for vacant shops and We Made That led a program to create a ‘Meanwhile Tool Kit’ to bring vacant shops back to life through a variety of pop up uses.

A vibrant, successful and self-sustaining street
The result has been an overwhelming success, with shop vacancies reducing from 25% to just 5% by the time the project was completed. There have also been an increased number of successful licence and planning applications for restaurants to extend their custom to include alfresco dining to make the most of the enhanced public realm.

Croydon Council has received positive feedback from local businesses and residents who feel a greater sense of pride in their high street.

HASSELL Design Team:
Jon Hazelwood, Sharon Wright, Calum Nesbitt, Antoine Pascal

Croydon Public Realm Project – Building Information

Client: London Borough of Croydon
Discipline: Landscape Architecture
Expertise: Public Realm
Year: 2015
Location: Croydon, United Kingdon

Collaboration:
We Made That – Architecture and Engagement
Buro Happold – Engineers
Objectif – Graphic Designers

Photography: Jakob Spriestersbach

21 Feb 2013

Croydon Public Realm Project in London

Design: HASSELL

South End, Croydon, London, England

HASSELL to design high street public realm proposals for Croydon Council

HASSELL, in collaboration with We Made That, has been appointed by London Borough of Croydon to deliver an important public realm project as part of the Connected Croydon programme. Supported by Engineers Buro Happold and graphic designers, Objectif, the team will deliver the South End Public Realm, part of a coordinated set of projects to enhance Croydon’s high streets.

images from architect

South End Public Realm

The £2.8m South End scheme will transform the streetscape of a key gateway into central Croydon – and the heart of the Borough’s restaurant district – to create a coherent, high quality and welcoming place. Works are expected to start on site in early 2014 following extensive engagement and consultation with stakeholders and community groups.

Jon Hazelwood, Head of Landscape Architecture for HASSELL in the UK said:
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the team to demonstrate our skills and enthusiasm for improving the public realm. We will working closely with residents and traders to realise their ambitions for this vibrant stretch of high street, all in the context of Croydon’s plans to transform the city centre.”

Holly Lewis, Partner at We Made That commented:
“Our approach will address both physical improvements to streetscape and building frontages, and also go further by purposefully activating and promoting the area to contribute to perceptual change in those who live in and visit the area. We’ll be thinking about how different activities can shape our high streets and how we make South End High Street a place where social and civic functions attract commerce and activity.”

Croydon Public Realm images / information from HASSELL

HASSELL

Location: South End, Croydon, London, England, UK