WATERLOO, LONDON
Credit: Bourne Capital & Virtual Estate
| Type | Regeneration, Community Engagement, Masterplanning & Urban Design, Public Realm & Commercial |
|---|---|
| Location | LB Lambeth |
| Scale | 1.5 ha (1,480 sqm) |
| Client | Emma Cons Gardens Steering Group |
| Status | Pre-planning |
|---|---|
| Riba Stages | 1-3 |
AMBITION
A Public Space for all to Enjoy
Emma Cons Gardens is an important piece of public realm in the heart of Waterloo opposite the Old Vic theatre and a stone’s throw from the train station.
The project aims to transform this underused space into a gateway, flexible events space and place to pause within this bustling part of the city. The design builds on local history and the legacy of three female pioneers - Emma Cons, Lilian Baylis and Octavia Hill - to create an equitable and nurturing space with a distinct identity and sense of destination.
IMPACT
A NEW LANDMARK FOR LONDON
The transformation of a faceless open space into a destination site which is an attractive place to sit and enjoy the outdoors within an interesting and safe environment.
AN OUTDOORS ART SPACE INTEGRATED PUBLIC REALM
The combination of an urban square and a multi-functional open-air site for art, performance, and other forms of social and cultural manifestation.
APPROACH
BUILDING ON LOCAL HISTORY & HONOURING THREE WOMEN
Three pioneering women have been key to the design thinking: Emma Cons, Octavia Hill and Lilian Baylis. Instead of memorialising them in a statue or plaque, there is an opportunity to celebrate their legacy through the character and identity of the space. It will be a place underpinned by their spirit and representative of their values; a place that is first and foremost a public and inclusive one; a place that enables everyone to access culture; a place that is inspiring and iconic.
A STRONG CANVAS
The new Emma Cons Gardens provides an attractive canvas which welcomes a wide range of activities, day and night. The space is held together via its sweeping arrangement and public art, creating a distinct sense of place. An inviting space welcomes use by all. We aim to promote the legacy of Emma Cons, Octavia Hill and Lilian Baylis by providing everyone with access to the arts via public art which forms the focal point of the space and provides a backdrop for public performance.
A CULTURAL TOOLKIT
The consultation process revealed priorities for the future Emma Cons Gardens, but also highlighted its lack of character and identity. In order to unlock this sense of place we encouraged the community to consider what should the space feel like? A sanctuary? Immersive? Playful? In order to achieve this, the design team have proposed a cultural toolkit, utilising sculpture, art, sound and lighting. This will create a sensory experience - at once drawing people in, interacting with surrounding hubbub and providing a moment to pause.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Re-Imagine Emma Cons Gardens
The consultation process has encouraged people to engage with the space in a new way and creatively re-imagine the possibilities for its future.
Building on the history of the Old Vic’s famous early Victorian mirrored curtain, a simple system of frames and mirrors have been used to display the design proposals. As well as introducing a sensory element to draw people in, the frames also provided a backdrop for dancers to perform.
