The Hammersmith East Public Realm Vision intends to transform the area into a more connected space with real pride of place. It champions sustainability, accessibility and local identity, and forms part of Hammersmith BID’s wider ambition to improve Hammersmith town centre as a place to work, live and visit.
History
Initial ideas for a Public Realm Vision emerged in response to the changing demands and use of public space following the Covid-19 pandemic. World-renowned architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners helped the BID to put together design ideas, sparking the imagination of stakeholders. These were presented at the 2021 Real Estate Live conference.
The present day
In 2023-24, Hammersmith BID consulted with stakeholders including BID levy payers, H&F Council and TfL, in order to refresh the Public Realm Vision. Key considerations included “greening the grey”, women’s safety, accessibility, wayfinding and a visual identity that draws on Hammersmith’s creativity.
For this next phase, the BID worked with Context Office – headed up by an urban designer with previous experience working on high profile projects such as Bond Street/Hanover Square and the early stages of Strand Aldwych. Context Office together with Todd Longstaffe-Gowan Landscape channelled feedback from stakeholder groups into new design ideas across the east of the town centre.
Acknowledging that in today’s climate, the most successful public realm projects are often public-private partnerships, the BID worked to bring together both these sectors, forming a steering group to help realise the Vision. Along the way, the BID will also consult with community groups on relevant initiatives.
Under the Flyover
The space under Hammersmith Flyover is a focal point of the Vision. An imposing and underlit space in close proximity to traffic and pollution, the area is currently underused. It also divides the town centre from the river, making Hammersmith feel disjointed and inaccessible. Nevertheless, the spaces beneath the Flyover are an important thoroughfare for pedestrians and cyclists accessing Hammersmith’s workplaces and amenities. Through our Public Realm Vision, we can reshape the use of the space under the Flyover by enhancing greening and adding public art, better lighting, and improving wayfinding and accessibility. These transformations can change perceptions of the Flyover from an inconvenience and eyesore to a celebrated piece of engineering of its time, and make it a more pleasant walking route.
Under the flyover: Before and after
© Context Office and Hammersmith BID. Illustration of possible new greenery, art and lighting under the flyover. Ideas for improvements will be explored further in future design stages.
Lower bus station
Hammersmith BID is collaborating with Transport for London, H&F Council and the Broadway Centre, in order to explore improvements to the Lower Bus Station that protect and complement the safe, efficient operation of bus services, along with onward connections to Hammersmith Road and Butterwick. There will be a focus on “greening the grey”, with an aim to improve the experience of bus passengers with trees and shade, supporting active travel, wayfinding, safety, accessibility, and a sense of arrival to the town centre.
Butterwick
The Walt Disney Company is working from the Vision to improve the walking routes along Butterwick from the Lower Bus Station. Disney is introducing planting and landscaping to tie into the trees and shrubs previously planted on the opposite side of the road at the Metro Building and connecting to the successful sustainable drainage system installed by Hammersmith BID and H&F Council.
Butterwick: Before and after
© Context Office and Hammersmith BID. Illustration of possible new greenery and pathways along Butterwick. Ideas for improvements will be explored further in future design stages.
It is important to acknowledge that air pollution levels are a major concern in this area, nonetheless. The aim with this Public Realm Vision, and its long-term developments, is that we can find ways to reduce pollution and traffic, so that in five years’ time people are drawn to the amenities under the Flyover. Improving the cycle and walking paths routes, as well as shifting trends towards e-bikes and electric cars, will help this space become safer and healthier with time.
Ideas for transforming King Street, in the direction of pedestrianisation, is a challenge that is incorporated into the Vision as a long-term, healthy aspiration. Meanwhile, there is a desire to make King Street a place where people want to go, rather than just passing through. Pedestrianisation and improved cycleways are a focus of the Civic Campus project, and ideas with our Vision include improved surfacing and crossings, lighting, greening, and more space for people to pass through.
Improved wayfinding is an essential aspect of the Vision, and an early win that can also be developed as Hammersmith town centre becomes ever more connected through green spaces. Using wayfinding banners, starting at Hammersmith station, we want to make it easy and quick for visitors to arrive in Hammersmith and immediately be aware of all the enjoyable attractions and spaces they could explore and use in Hammersmith. This will also help to connect the town centre with the river, as well as informing all users of the new and exciting developments that have come through the Public Realm Vision, so that Hammersmith can be seen as a collection of cultural and enjoyable spaces.