Dow Jones Architects

This 2010 project, in collaboration with Stephen Taylor Architects, was for Design for London and the London Borough of Lewisham to make better public spaces in the centre of Deptford.

This commission grew out of our involvement in a Deptford design charrette to evaluate proposals for three sites, and to make design proposals following consultation with land-owners, planners and members of the public. We developed the findings of the charrette into a document used as a development tool for the area.

Our masterplan involved extensive consultation with community stakeholders in order to develop the project scope and to evaluate design proposals. We evolved a number of projects which are specific responses to sites and opportunities, and which represent a broad ambition for the area in terms of quality of public spaces and responses to local needs.

These range from the refurbishment of some disused shops owned by the council into start-up spaces for small businesses, to a community re-landscaping project around a block of flats, to proposals for alotment and beekeeping as a holding pattern in development sites. Each of the projects provides opportunities for local employment and training as well as improving the character of public space. A number of these projects are currently being developed for funding proposals.