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London’s population is growing and its streets are becoming busier. The demand for the provision of high quality, multi-functional public space is becoming a necessity, not just a luxury.
Across the globe, our streets now need to provide more than connectivity, they must provide space for people to dwell, socialise, exercise, eat and enjoy. They need to be flexible, allowing for a range of activities and events throughout the day to cater for all users.
Project Summary
80% of London's public spaces are made up by its streets
80%of all trips should be made by foot, bike or public transport by 2041 according to the Mayor of London
Streets for people
This is why Arup, working with partners including the Fitzrovia Partnership, has invested in developing FitzPark, a new quality temporary public space in the immediate vicinity of our global headquarters in central London.
For FitzPark, which is located in nearby Windmill Street, we have transformed a delivery bay on a busy urban street into a parklet containing seating and planters for local residents, employees and visitors to enjoy.
Promoting healthy streets
Designed and delivered by our Landscape Architecture team, the parklet demonstrates how small spaces can be adapted to provide people-friendly uses. This promotes health and wellbeing and encourages people to walk, cycle and spend more time outdoors.
The park highlights the very real benefits of urban greening and small scale interventions, an approach you can read about within Arup’s Cities Alive: Rethinking green infrastructure publication.
Demonstrating value, monitoring and measuring
FitzPark will be monitored throughout the duration it is installed. We believe that to understand the social value of changes to urban environments requires measuring the experiences of people, rather than the performance of the built environment.
A pre and post evaluation study of the project will enable the impact of the scheme to be captured and communicated. This report will feature quantitative and qualitative data to show movement, dwell time and activity within the area pre and post installation.
FitzPark objectives
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To provide accessible space for pedestrians that encourages dwell time
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To enhance local character and sense of place
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To improve pedestrian capacity to accommodate future growth
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To encourage social cohesion and local pride
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To promote biodiversity through the provision of planting.
Funding
FitzPark is funded by The Fitzrovia Partnership BID, a central London Business Improvement District (BID) which counts Arup as a member. Additional funding was also sourced via the Mayor of London’s Clean Air Better Business (CABB) fund, and via financial contributions from Arup and street furniture provider Vestre. The installation was supported by the London Borough of Camden.
#FitzPark
