behind
design
FIT FoR PuRPoSe
See what we did there? No? Good.
For Peter Heath, Atkins’ principal public
realm specialist, the biggest successes of the
regeneration of Trafalgar Square are the bits likely
to go unnoticed. “When people say ‘I thought
it was always like this’, it’s a tribute to everyone
involved in the project,” says Heath.
Few people, for example, will notice that the
square is less cluttered. “We removed street
furniture and mounted traffic signals on lamp
columns. It sounds simple, but it was actually very
complex, involving lengthy negotiations.”
Trafalgar Square was created to bring
educational and social value to the masses, and
these concepts formed the backdrop of the work.
A number of challenges had to be addressed,
foremost among them redressing the balance
24 between the needs of pedestrians and vehicles.
“This has always been an important site for
demonstrations, gatherings and celebrations,”
Heath says. “But it was completely ill-equipped for
that role. There were complicated traffic issues to
solve to reclaim the space for the pedestrian.”
By cutting off the traffic on the north side and
allowing for it on the south, and providing more
crossing and viewing points, the layout now works
on both a traffic and pedestrian level.
As well as working with numerous
organisations, experts and advisers, Heath drew
on the archives. Research revealed that eminent
architects had proposed a central staircase. But
Charles Barry whose designs were used, favoured
staircases on each side. “These entry points to the
square were nearly invisible, which had a huge
impact on how people interacted with the space,“
says Heath. There was no obvious route across, so
people would use the congested side pathways.
They would enter the square from the south,
loiter briefly, then move on.” As well as looking
“THeSe HAve BeCome LoNdoN’S SpaNiSh
at ways to adapt the side staircases to make them
StepS. PeoPle lIke To SIT, ReAd And eAT
more visible, Heath and the team returned to
HeRe. THe WHole SquARe noW feeLS more
the original concept of a central staircase. “We
wanted to connect the national gallery to the
oPen, attractive, coNveNieNt And SAFe”
square and open up the space for events.”
Peter Heath
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