Windrush square - Brixton

I went to a site tour of Windrush square in Brixton organised by the NLA urban markers. We were led into a church were the initial presentation would take place outlining the project from start to finish. We were shown images of what the square use to look like and can be described at cluttered, unclear and would be avoided by people. The square and the surrounding areas were a hubbub or crime. There was people drinking alcohol daily around the square which put a lot of people off. Crime around this particular area had been quite bad due to this and the drug dealers and thieves. I remember growing up people told me Brixton was a rough place and not so nice so I can see were people would get this idea from. However this is why Brixton had decided to redesign the square and its surrounding areas. It is also a way to improve transportation links by cars, buses and bicycles.

Initial plans to create a far more open space that invites rather than deters people had been hatched by London Borough of Lambeth, the London Development Agency, Design for London, designers Atkins plc and landscape architects GROSS.MAX.

Starting from the beginning there were issues regarding the initial planning:

• Increased through traffic in nearby streets due to proposed road closures
• Value of money for overall scheme, including roads re alignment
• Loss of existing trees
• Under sized grass areas
• The need to reinstate the public toilets.
• Need for active programme of uses to discourage drug dealers and street drinkers

The issues that were raised during construction were mainly the fact that the road closures caused so much traffic and the space available for footpaths.

The issues that have arisen since the opening of the square are:
• Risk of inadequate protection of retained features
• Mist fountain can be potential hazard in the cold and windy weathers
• Cluttered layout risks the potential for large scale events
• Loss of public toilet provision

I was told during the presentation that the square has had trouble executed large scale events so that matter must still yet to be resolved. The space to be did seem quite open and accessible and there were adequate green space in contrast with the granite. The one large tree is a triumph that looks magnificent and grand, there are other smaller trees but don’t quite catch your eye. Traffic and bus routes have improved greatly and there has been a reduction in accidents .The need to reinstate a public toilet seems unnecessary. Crime has actually been reduced by 30% which in my belief is quite an accomplishment and shows that designing goes far more than just aesthetics. The benefit to cost ratio is an amazing 5.5:1. There has been positive pedestrian flow through the space as a whole and the informal seating has gone down well. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by the space and did not expect to see quite a well developed plan and strategy.