This month saw “public space intervention” protests take place in London as members of the public objected to the increasing privatisation of the capital’s public spaces. There are concerns that as more and more areas of the capital are being taken over by corporate entities, the right to roam freely is being restricted and biodiversity and character are being destroyed in favour of sterile uniformity.

In many of the cases being protested, developers have stated that they are actually creating new public spaces on previously unused plots of land. However, the dissenters state that this is simply because there is a trend of abandoning land for many years and then claiming that it must be redeveloped, including the creation of spaces which are open to the public but are actually privately owned estates governed by corporate rules. Although redevelopment has greatly benefitted many areas of the capital in many ways, activities such as taking photos, making speeches, holding peaceful demonstrations or holding social gatherings are often banned in these kinds of spaces, meaning that community spirit and spontaneity is in danger of being eroded.

In major cities, public spaces such as plazas, squares and parks play a vital role, and it’s important that they are designed and laid out in a way that encourages comfort, creativity and imaginative use. Architects have an important role to play in encouraging communities to come together and use the spaces in beneficial ways, not only in the design of the spaces themselves but also in the buildings that surround them.

Our team of architects in London are dedicated to designing buildings and spaces that work for the real people who use them every day, encouraging free and unrestricted movement, creative thinking and easy, efficient functioning, whatever the space is going to be used for. Through our use of layout, light, space and materials, we are committed to ensuring that the structures we create and the spaces around them are beneficial for people and the environment. We have been following the development of London’s new public spaces with interest and are hopeful that the future will hold more success stories of public spaces where people can gather and participate in communal activities.