The starting point for this project was my research into architect Lina Bo Bardi, her design process and her projects, more specifically the SESC Pompeia in São Paulo, Brazil.

The brief was to provide my client, architect Lina Bo Bardi, with an open plan design studio and meeting/consultation area, which would facilitate her work as a designer for the regeneration project of Greenhill Way, as well as a flexible public space which could be occupied and used in a variety of ways and encourage a diverse group of people to gather and engage as a community. The site is located on the intersection of Springfield Road and Greenhill Way, in the suburban town of Harrow. It has public transport links and a large commercial area to the south and a mostly residential area to the north.

Harrow Council is currently leading a regeneration programme that will change the landscape of its town centre and bring forward thousands of new homes, shops, offices, schools, public spaces and green spaces, cultural and leisure facilities, transport improvements and public facilities.

The building would consist of two floors, the ground floor being an open public space that extends the entirety of Springfield Road, where a design studio and public consultations area would be located. The first floor would include a multi-use space for socialising and events, as well as toilet facilities.

My proposal would also include the addition of vertical garden structures on both sides of Greenhill Way, creating a “filter” that minimises some of the noise and air pollution caused by traffic, attracts birds and pollinators, regulates temperature and contributes to a more pleasant atmosphere for residents and passers-by.

The reduction in the current width of the two-way street would compel vehicles to reduce their speed, while at the same time allow more space for the creation of new infrastructure for pedestrians, residents and local businesses. All of these measures aim to make the street more lively and allow for a continuous and timeless entanglement of humans, plants and animals.