Project Centre and Lewisham Council have been developing a holistic approach to the public realm through commissions at three different scales for Lewisham Market, Lewisham High Street and an overarching Urban Design Strategy. With Lewisham undergoing significant growth in terms of population and status, as recognised in the London Plan which identifies the town centre as having the potential to be of Metropolitan Importance, the projects re-examine the focus, fabric and role of an inner city town centre.
At PUBLIC REALM & URBAN SPACES Smart Class 2022, Leo Hammond and Daria Kaczorowska from the Landscape and Urban Design Team at Project Centre teamed up with Lewisham Council’s Head of Commercial Operations and Development, Seamus Adams, to showcase this approach to designing the public realm within Lewisham Town Centre.
Drawing on the history and pipeline of new development, Leo, Daria and Seamus shared their experience and knowledge about:
- Engaging with diverse local communities and businesses
- Collaborating with local stakeholders and land owners
- Quick wins and small interventions: from market stall trials and temporary planters to improvements in waste management, cleaning and maintenance
- Art and culture
- Creating an urban design vision and masterplan
- Public realm visioning including: biodiversity gain and green grid, air quality improvements and carbon net zero, pedestrian corridors and promoting active travel, supporting mobility hub potential, social spaces and pocket parks etc
- Funding
Following their inspirational presentation and Q&A session they went on to host deeper dive roundtable discussions with all those in attendance.
If you satisfy our regular delegate qualification criteria but were unable to join us in London on July 7th for the live in-person event at Greencoat Place Conference Centre, CLICK HERE and complete the short “Download form” (located at the bottom of the post) to receive a unique link enabling free access to the presentation video recordings and slides (including the film footage and slides from Leo, Daria and Seamus’ initial presentation).
Those qualifying to receive the rich presentation content from this event include commissioning, procurement, trialling and partnering leads, senior influencers, strategic decision makers, planners, place makers, architects, green space managers, urban designers, highways & street scene, transport & mobility and high streets & regeneration professionals from councils and local authorities (city, borough, metropolitan, district, county and combined); people and place partnerships; developers, landowners and creators of privately owned public spaces; prime contractors and city centre management companies; DfT, DEFRA, MHCLG, EA and supporting governmental bodies; transport authorities, highways agencies and public transport operators; civic organisations and community groups; and other key players from the public realm ecosystem with responsibility for managing, maintaining and operating our streets, squares, forecourts, parks, pathways, retail centres, car parks, airports, ports, travel hubs, hospitals, housing estates, campuses, communal gardens and the assets contained within these public or semi-public spaces.
