The London Bridge area reflects many different styles and ages in its built environment. This makes coming up with innovative yet sympathetic design and architecture a challenge that has the potential to stimulate some really creative ideas.
To put this into practice, Team London Bridge has partnered with the University of Westminster’s to put the architecture and planning professionals who have signed up to their ‘Build Up’ programme to the test.
Build Up is structured to help participants develop new approaches to their work and enhance their technical, business, and leadership skills. During the final part of the programme they are divided into working teams who embark in a stage of ‘innovative collaboration’ to undertake project-based work and develop solutions to real problems.
Some of the problem locations we have in London Bridge will be transformed as part of the Shard and London Bridge station developments but we have identified others that would hugely benefit from the Build Up team’s expert eye. These include sections of the railway viaduct, arches and neighbouring streets.
Our team of 10 Build Up professionals have been asked to consult with local businesses and residents to develop a strategic urban design plan for the identified area. Within the plan they will develop five detailed £5,000 projects that will then be put to the Team London Bridge board for discussion. The plan will also give outlines for longer term projects that Team London Bridge could potentially undertake during our second BID term 2011-2016, based on a guide budget of £500,000 (+ any match funding available).
Any redesign of the Barnham Street or Shand Street railway arches must link to the Spacia investment programme, while all projects would have to be in-keeping with Southwark Council’s Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).
Preliminary ideas are being exhibited at the launch of the Team London Bridge lighting scheme 10th March at The Bridge Lounge and we are greatly looking forward to seeing the group’s proposals at the end of March.
For more details about the project contact Shane Clarke shane@teamlondonbridge.co.uk / 020 7407 4701.