Lessons Learnt - Design for London

PTAL level 2-
The over ll
im ge of
the street is
fr gmented
nd confusing,
with l ck of
streetsc pe
definition.
old Kent road, southwark
The Old Kent Ro d, the pproxim tely 2.5 km
long p rt of Rom n route from London to Kent,
is not currently design ted s town centre, ut
in pr ctice fulfils m ny of its
functions. It h s concentr -
tion of us routes nd soci l
infr structure such s sever l
schools, churches, community
centres nd other pu lic
services, which re p rticul
rly import nt to the diverse
residenti l communities of
the re . The street’s shopping
front ge is extensive nd
includes m ny independent
ethnic ret il units. However, in
spite of this mix of functions
nd intensity of uses which re
not dissimil r to town centres,
the over ll sp ti l coherence is
dly ffected y the surf ce
c r p rks of the m ny su ur n
style ret il outlets nd series
of industri l nd w rehousing sites. Ap rt from
the presence of some vi r nt shopping zones
nd rem rk le herit ge including 19th nd 20th
Century housing locks y the Pe ody Trust nd
City of London, the over ll im ge of the street
is fr gmented nd confusing. The qu lity of the
pu lic re lm is low, oth ec use of the imp ct
of tr ffic nd the l ck of streetsc pe definition.
Consequently, much of the housing stock on
the Old Kent Ro d is esthetic lly un ttr ctive.
Addition lly there re v c nt uildings nd
derelict sites, le ding to neg tive soci l s fety
perceptions, especi lly t night. These re typic l
ex mples of conditions th t light m ny A-Ro d
thoroughf res.
28 HOUSING INTENSIfICATION IN SEVEN SOUTH LONDON TOWN CENTRES AND THEIR EDGES
The key question is how to cre te conditions
for good qu lity housing on this through ro d,
responding to the dverse imp ct of tr ffic nd to
the conditions cre ted y the industri l est tes.
At the s me time, ny new interventions should
im to contri ute to n over ll improvement of
the street s n ur n corridor, cre ting legi ility
nd cl rity of direction in the streetsc pe nd
improving the loc l pu lic re lm conditions.
How c n conditions for good qu lity housing e
cre ted in this environment which improves the
over ll ur n design qu lity of the re ?
A2
A201
A100
Burgess P rk
500m
Discontinuous
front ge.
A2
housing
soci l infr str.
shops
offices
industri l