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Home to many of London’s most prominent art galleries and cultural institutions, join Lucy Musgrave and Cynthia Grant on a very special walk through the recently completed East Mayfair public realm project.
Publica was commissioned as the urban design lead to produce the vision and strategy for a suite of public realm projects in the area to improve the public realm and help reinforce the setting of East Mayfair as the centre of the London art world.
Beginning in Hanover Square, we will look at the recently completely revitalised historic London Square located one block south of Oxford Street – one of the West End’s most significant civic spaces. The design celebrates the square’s intrinsic character by revealing historic vistas and celebrating its civic identity.
By increasing pedestrian space (including pedestrianising one whole side of the square), improving crossings, planting new trees and improving cycle infrastructure, paving, playable elements, street furniture lighting and signage, the design elevates the experience of being in the square and moving through its adjoining streets.
The walk will then take in New and Old Bond Street, awarded the best built public realm in London by the New London Architecture in 2019, as a chance to discuss the project’s inception, partners and key design moves, as well as the recently completed Burlington Gardens and as the new civic setting for the entrance to the Royal Academy.
These schemes, which have been led by Westminster City Council, and supported by New West End Company (NWEC), and in partnership with neighbouring landowners and developers, aim to ensure the city’s historic places remain a well-designed part of London’s vision for the future. The design was created and delivered by a multidisciplinary team, commissioned by Westminster City Council and NWEC, of Publica, WSP, FMC Conway, NRP, and Todd Langstaffe-Gowan.
Lucy Musgrave OBE is the founding director of Publica. Over a 30-year career, Lucy has played a key advisory role in policy recommendations, strategic planning and the advocacy of design quality.
Cynthia Grant is the project director of the New West End Company. Between 1985 and 1998 she was director of transport for the London Docklands Development Corporation, overseeing the design, planning, funding and procurement of strategic road, rail, bus, traffic management, pedestrian, cycle, river, public art and wayfinding projects in the Docklands area.
Photo © Publica
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