Change by Design, Collective imaginations for contested sites in Euston

1,

Change by DesignCollective imaginations for contested sites in euston

WORKshOP RePORT (2014)

alexandre apsan Frediani, beatrice De Carli, naomi shinkinsMelissa Kinnear, sophie Morley, anthony Powis

Architecture Sans Frontires UK

1Change by DesignCollective imaginations for contested sites in euston

WORKshOP RePORT (2014/5)

alexandre apsan Frediani, beatrice De Carli, naomi shinkinsMelissa Kinnear, sophie Morley, anthony Powis

Architecture Sans Frontires UK

2Camden Citizens was launched in 2011 at a large assembly of 700 people in Friends house, on the euston Road. We are a part of Citizens UK, an alliance of civic organisations in London, birmingham, Cardiff, Milton Keynes, and nottingham. We bring together churches, mosques and synagogues; schools, colleges and universities; unions, think tanks, and housing associations; gP surgeries, charities and migrant groups to work together for the common good. We call this community organising.

We develop the capacity of our members to build power locally so they can hold politicians and other decision makers to account. We work on a range of issues, from small local campaigns to large national campaigns such as the Living Wage.

Community organising is based on the principle that when people work together they have the power to change their neighbourhoods, cities, and ultimately the country for the better. We work with people who want to transform the world, from what it is to what they believe it should be.

To do this we listen to our members, asking them about their concerns and developing strategies to improve our communities. We ensure that civil society is at the negotiating table alongside the market and state, so that our communities are included in the decisions that affect them.

so back in 2011, after an extensive six month listening exercise, the members of Camden Citizens voted to work together on a common agenda for social justice: on jobs, housing, safety, social care and the Living Wage.

Our members also recognised the significance of High Speed Rail 2, the largest infrastructure project in europe, and the impact it would have in euston and the surrounding area if it were to go ahead. The project has the potential to cut across a number of our priority issues in particular jobs, housing, and safety. The workshops carried out by asF-UK have brought great value and expertise to informing our work.

at a meeting on 20th March 2014 held at Maria Fidelis school, the membership voted overwhelmingly to work together to ensure that hs2 if it goes ahead delivers the best possible deal for local communities. The members of Camden Citizens are developing

Foreword

3a Citizens Charter on hs2 based on our previous experience of working on a similarly disruptive and one-off development: the 2012 Olympics.

Thanks to all the staff at asF-UK for producing this report.

Stephanie Leonard

Camden Citizens associate Community Organiser

Citizens UK

4Acknowledgements

This report documents the methodology and findings of a one-week participatory design workshop undertaken in september 2014 in the euston area in London. The coordinators of Change by Design, alexandre apsan Frediani, beatrice De Carli, and naomi shinkins, with Melissa Kinnear, sophie Morley, and anthony Powis, would like to thank the following people and organisations for making this workshop such an enriching and rewarding experience.

We are exceptionally grateful for the support that we have received throughout the workshops preparation and development from our partners Citizens UK, and in particular Rhys Moore and stephanie Leonard. We are also indebted to Camden Citizens for their advice and active engagement with our work: especially Father Philip north, Team Rector of Parish of Old st Pancras, and Father Paschal Worton, Team Vicar at st Marys Church.

The workshops success is founded on the contribution of many residents and institutions in the euston area. These include Jo hurford and Jeanette Westley; sharon gordon (West euston Partnership), Romina harris (Maria Fidelis school), Jeff Travers (Pan Camden hs2 alliance).

We are grateful to Camden Council, and particularly euston area Plan Project Manager Mary-ann Lewis and Councilor Phil Jones, Cabinet Member for Regeneration in Camden, who discussed the workshop with us and helped us to shape our argument.

We extend our thanks to UCL Urban Laboratory for organising an insightful seminar on urban regeneration. Thank you to Laura hirst for curating the event, and to ben Campkin and Clare Melhuish for sharing their research on the subject. as well, we would like to thank Lucia Caistor from social Life for contributing to the conversation.

Of course this report would not have been possible without the asF-UK participants who took time away from their studies and work to attend, but also contributed so much to the workshop, personally and professionally: amelia Rule, Charles Palmer, emily Wright, Francesca giangrande, Frederick Van amstel, giulia bravo, gloria gusmaroli, Katherine Wong, Michaela Usai, Mona an shah, Rubbina Karruna, stacey Lewis and yousof Khan.

in particular, we are grateful to Francesca giangrande, gloria gusmaroli, and Katherine Wong who devoted time, resources

5and effort to compile and illustrate this report and the workshops summary of fi ndings.

The success of the workshop is based on the contribution of a number of institutions. Firstly, we owe much to the team of asF-UK for all their input and logistical support in the process. We would also like to thank UCL Public Engagement Unit for their fi nancial support; and the bartlett Development Planning Unit at UCL, and the school of Architecture of the University of Sheffi eld, for their endorsement of this initiative and the wider collaboration around asF-UKs Change by Design programme.

Finally, we extend our warmest thanks to the residents and business-owners of the euston area, for hosting us in their neighbourhood and sharing their stories and thoughts. We hope that this report will offer a means to advocate successfully for the city they want.

Change by Design is a workshop promoted by architecture sans Frontires UK (asF-UK).

With the support of The bartlett Development Planning Unit, University College London; UCL Urban Laboratory, and the School of Architecture of the University of Sheffi eld.

With the support of The bartlett Development Planning Unit (University College London), the School of Architecture of the University of Sheffi eld, and UCL Urban Laboratory.

7Introduction

Dwelling / Regents Park Estate

1 / introduction2 / experiences3 / Options4 / Dwelling Principles

Community / St James Gardens

1 / introduction2 / experiences3 / Options4 / Community Principles

City / Drummond Street

1 / introduction 2 / experiences3 / Options4 / City Principles

Integrated Principles

Conclusions

8

16

38

60

80

84

Index

8Opposite page/ Jo Hurford of save Drummond Street shows the group hoarding outside Euston Station during the tour on day one

inFiLiTRaTing RegeneRaTiOn

Camden Councils euston area Plan outlines a vision for euston in 2031 that attempts to bring together local needs with the aspiration of euston station becoming a world-class transport interchange. Like many other plans for key localities in London designated by the London Plan as opportunity areas, a narrative emerges trying to address the tension between needs of low-income groups, and wider aspirations for London to become a world-class city. This tension has been shaping debates around top-down processes of change, as well as the growing practices of grassroots resistance and contestation. at the core of these debates on market vs. socially led urban development, the key question under discussion is not whether urban change is needed, but rather which type of change is being pursued, and to whose benefit.

Market-led approaches to urban change are calling for large-scale mega-projects as a means to position London and the UK as global agents. The ambition is to attract more Foreign Direct investments and therefore increase the productivity of the city, as well as the country. in the London Plan, the concept of opportunity areas precisely highlights potential areas in need of urban renewal, where there is a potential for market actors to invest and make a profit while at the same time improving the urban environment.

however, in the past few years there has been a multiplication of the actors and networks contesting this view of change while also producing alternative imaginaries for the ways in which urban change has been, is, and could be taking place in London. Various studies have highlighted how Londons market enablement approach to urban change is gradually pushing low-income groups away from well-located sites in the city centre, encouraging social and spatial segregation across the city as well as the homogenization of population in central areas (1). similarly, networks of community advocates, practitioners, and scholars are articulating alternative modes of bringing about

Introduction

10

change to the capital, in manners that build on local potentialities and resources, draw on meaningful forms of community participation, and address urban inequalities (2). Therefore, London is experiencing a moment of intense contestations not only over space and sites, but also over the visions and imaginaries that should guide the process of change.

at the heart of these debates, is the unstable concept of urban regeneration. as outlined by Campkin (3), experiences of urban regeneration in London have been widely criticised for not bringing about the promised benefits for deprived communities, nor involving them meaningfully in the processes of decision-making. This led many to argue and feel that urban regeneration is necessarily a euphemism for gentrification. However, this report relates to a wider range of experiences that approach the idea of regeneration as a site of contestation itself, and as an entry point to bring about change (4). instead of leaving it to be populated merely by market-led values, this report attempts to contribute to infiltrating the concept of regeneration by populating it with alternative meanings and practices, associated to ideals of justice and equality (5).

URban RegeneRaTiOn anD The iMPaCTs OF hs2 in LOnDOn

One of the many regeneration plans in London is the proposed redevelopment and expansion of euston station in Camden to host the terminus of the high speed 2 railway line, which will run between London, birmingham, Manchester and Leeds also known as hs2. if the current plans for the stations redevelopment were to go ahead, local residents and business owners around euston will experience severe social, environmental, and economic impact during the lengthy construction phase, and post completion. Key concerns articulated by local government and civil society include the possible demolition of existing council housing blocks; tunnelling works under residential areas; the use of Drummond Street as a route for construction traffic; the loss of several open and green spaces surrounding the station and throughout the neighbourhood; and large scale disruptions across the area.

Local communities are also struggling to cope with the many unknowns presented by this situation. at the time of writing, it is still not known whether or not the hs2 project will actually go ahead, and which design options will be pursued despite many years in the pipe-line. Local communities are left in a state of uncertainty where properties, residential and commercial, are blighted, and residents and business owners do not know what the future holds for them.

Many community groups as well as Camden Council have expressed their opposition to the hs2 proposals. it is in this context that Camden Citizens, as part of the Citizens UK network, has worked with its network of local institutions to formulate a Citizens Charter. The Charter aims to represent the aspirations of local residents and business owners, and enhance their bargaining power when advocating for benefits to the local community from development schemes in the area, which include the hs2 proposals.

11

Change by Design LOnDOn 2014

Change by Design is a programme led by non-profit organisation Architecture Sans Frontires -UK (ASF-UK), with the aim to reflect on and practice participatory design as a means to promote inclusive and equitable urban change. since 2010, asF-UK has worked with a number of partners and supporting institutions to generate field workshops and seminars focused on introducing a critical design perspective into participatory practices for informal settlement upgrading. Through engagement with collectives struggling for the rights of informal settlement dwellers in salvador da bahia (brazil), nairobi (Kenya), and Quito (ecuador), the Change by Design programme has explored the role of participatory design in the production of a more just city. Under this perspective, participatory design should question exploitative social relations and the unequal distribution of resources, as well as opening up spaces for new imaginaries about the city, citizenship and urban transformations (6).

In this fifth instalment of the Change by Design workshops, ASF-UK worked with London Citizens and local stakeholders to explore the impact of large-scale development and regeneration in London on local communities. building on participatory design tools developed in previous Change by Design engagements, the workshop took place in september 2014 in London, with the aim of generating community-led principles that would reinforce the Citizens Charter being elaborated by Citizens UK and Camden Citizens specifically. These principles strive to advance positive outcomes of the proposed future development, focusing on the euston area Plan developed by the Camden Council and the proposed hs2 rail link in the euston area.

To understand the needs and aspirations of local stakeholders regarding future development, the seven-day workshop focused on three specific sites in the Euston area the Regents Park Estate, St James gardens next to euston station, and Drummond street. based on research carried out by students of the Msc in social Development Practice of The bartlett Development Planning Unit of University College London (7), workshop participants worked directly with local communities in and around these sites to identify community-led principles for future re/development.

The main aim of the workshop was to strengthen the negotiation capacity of community groups in bringing about positive change to local residents in the euston area. This was achieved by supporting the work of Citizens UK using participatory design to explore residents spatial imaginaries for the three chosen sites. as well, the workshop aimed to investigate and represent local residents and business owners regeneration aspirations, as a tool to support ongoing negotiations with stakeholders involved in the hs2 proposal. Finally it focused on the development of an integrated approach using participatory design and planning methodologies, based on our experience in informal settlements upgrading, as a means to explore how regeneration initiatives can respond to needs and aspirations of residents affected by the process of change.

We gathered the multiple skills and perspectives of workshop participants to build on participatory design tools developed in

12

previous Change by Design initiatives. The workshop also sought to set a precedent of making participatory design and planning methodologies integral to the practice of regeneration in the UK. This focus on design and planning practices hopes to enable a wider debate not only on the ways in which regeneration is conceptualised, but also on the means and processes through which it changes the city.

sTRUCTURe OF The RePORT

This report gathers from the work conducted by the Change by Design London coordinators and participants in order to document the methodology and findings of this workshop. ASF-UK Change by Design workshops are based on an evolving action-research methodology that addresses physical space and social dynamics at different scales (the home, the neighbourhood, the city) and through different forms of practice (architecture, urban design, urban and development planning). The aim is to promote integrated visions and interventions that respond not only to the material qualities of urban space, but also to its social, economic and political complexities building bridges between local residents, practitioners, institutions and other types of communities involved in urban transformations.

in London, workshop participants were divided into three group, each focusing on a particular scale of design as well as on a particular site: the Dwelling group, examining Regents Park estate and the aspirations of its residents; the Community group, focussing on st. James gardens and other open and collective spaces in the area; and the City group, addressing Drummond street businesses and their livelihood networks in London and beyond. Cross-scale policy and planning issues, which normally form an explicit component of the asF-UK Change by Design methodology, were not included in this workshops structure as the team could benefit from the policy research conducted in 2013/2014 by staff and students of the Msc social Development Practice at the bartlett Development Planning Unit.

The report reflects the structure of the workshop itself, and is also articulated into three sections: Dwelling, Community, and City. each section explores specific research questions, working methodologies, and issues. at the end of each section, a text and a visual summarise the key design principles that emerged from participatory activities carried out within that particular scale/site. These principles are then brought together at the end of the report in an integrated representation that links together the findings of the three groups. a conclusion summarises these points and explores ways forward in supporting citizen-led pathways to urban regeneration in London, with possible lessons for cities elsewhere.

nOTes(1) Urban regeneration processes in London have been critically examined by Rob imrie, Loretta Lees, and Mark Raco (eds) in Regenerating London: Governance, Sustainability and Community in a Global City (London: Routledge, 2009). More recently, imrie and Lees have also curated the volume Sustainable London? The Future of a Global City (bristol: Policy Press, 2014). Further reflections on the logics and consequences and Lonodons

Opposite page/ participatory activities used by dwelling group with residents from the Regents Park Estate.

13

market-led regeneration have been proposed among others by Michael edwards, London for sale: Towards the Radical Marketization of Urban space in Matthew gandy (ed), Urban Constellations (Berlin: Jovis, 2011) and by Paul Watt in his reflection on the impacts of 2012 Olympics: its not For Us: Regeneration, the 2012 Olympics and the Gentrification of East London, City vol.17, no.1, p. 99118.

(2) To name but a few, see the work of the Just space network, social Life, This is not a gate Way, R-Urban Wick, and London action and Research on Regeneration group.

(3) ben Campkin expands on this subject in the introduction to Remaking London: Decline and Regeneration in Urban Culture (London: ib Tauris, 2013).

(4) see the UCL Urban Laboratory Urban Pamphleteer #2 - London: Regeneration Realities, edited by ben Campkin, David Roberts and Rebecca Ross (London: UCL Urban Laboratory, 2013). For a wider overview of debates on market-led regeneration and its intended and unintended social consequences, see the collection Whose Urban Renaissance? edited by Libby Porter and Kate shaw (London: Routledge, 2009).

(5) We have argued this point elsewhere, in reference to the processes of inner city regeneration in so Paulo, brazil. see beatrice De Carli, alexandre apsan Frediani, Roberto barbosa, Francisco Comaru and Ricardo Moretti, Regeneration through the Pedagogy of Confrontation: exploring Critical spatial Practices of social Movements in so Paulo inner City as avenues for Urban Renewal in Dearq 16 (forthcoming).

(6) The methodology and findings of previous Change by Design workshops have been documented in alexandre apsan Frediani, Matthew French and isis nunez Ferrera, Change by Design. Building Communities through Participatory Design (new Zealand: Urban Culture Press, 2011); and alexandre apsan Frediani, beatrice De Carli, isis nunez Ferrera and naomi shinkins, Change by Design. New Spatial Imaginations for Los Pinos (Oxford: architecture sans Frontires UK, 2014).

(7) This work is documented in alexandre apsan Frediani, stephanie butcher and Laura hirst (eds) Regeneration Aspirations for Euston: Local Perspectives on the High Speed Two Rail Link. MSc Social Development Practice Student Report (London: The bartlett Development Planning Unit, 2014).

14

For SALE

shop shop

here !

Breaking the unique typological diversity of shops

Loss of jobs

Loss of income

Loss of trees and green space

Displacement of families

Loss of visability

Loss of commmunitiy ties

// Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts to Local Communities

Pollution from construction site

Noise from construction site

Unsafe routes during construction

Unfair compensation and market transactions

Loss of social housing

School disruption

Loss of public space and playgrounds

Removal of graves

Loss of local business

Loss of heritage

REGENTS PARK ESTATE//DWELLING

ST JAMESS GARDENS//COMMUNITY

DRUMMOND STREET//CITY

Proposed Station Footprint (at time of writing)

15

For SALE

shop shop

here !


Loss of jobs

Loss of income



Loss of visability








School disruption


Removal of graves


Loss of heritage



DRUMMOND STREET//CITY

Proposed Station Footprint (at time of writing)

16

The Dwelling scale is concerned with the micro everyday realities of residents, as associated to their dwelling experiences. The starting point for this scale is that dwelling goes beyond the physical structures of the house: rather, dwelling is associated to the various activities, needs, and aspirations of home-making. Therefore, dwelling is approached as a system of settings. Our participatory design methodology interrogates various spaces associated to dwelling practices, including private, semi-private, as well as public places which form part of the dwelling environment. We explore the diverse relations shaping dwelling conditions and aspirations, as well as the ways in which urban trends, policy, and planning affect peoples dwelling opportunities.

The methodology applies design tools to elicit a conversation about dreams and aspirations through a discussion on the built environment. as an output, participatory activities generate dwelling principles, as well as guidelines that aim to inform the generation of a portfolio of options that can potentially address and concretely articulate these dwelling principles.

Dwelling

18


For SALE

shop shop

here !


Loss of jobs

Loss of income



Loss of visability








School disruption



Loss of heritage I work during the night. How will Ibe able to sleep in the day withthe construction happening next

door?

This is the forgottenpart of Camden

The boundaries of the estate

are the walls of my home

I am going to miss this place very much. I live on the sixth floor and I have a wonderful view from

my flat

19


For SALE

shop shop

here !


Loss of jobs

Loss of income



Loss of visability








School disruption



Loss of heritage I work during the night. How will Ibe able to sleep in the day withthe construction happening next

door?

This is the forgottenpart of Camden

The boundaries of the estate

are the walls of my home

I am going to miss this place very much. I live on the sixth floor and I have a wonderful view from

my flat

20

1 / Introduction

Regents Park estate is a large post war housing development, which sits between Regents Park to the west and euston station to the east. it was built in the 1950s to provide Council housing for Londoners in an area destroyed in the blitz, and is made up of a variety of low, medium and high rise blocks set in a series of streets and green spaces.

if the current scheme proposed by hs2 is approved, it will have a profound impact on this community, as a minimum of 168 homes could be lost from Regents Park estate as a result of the required track widening and larger station building. The blocks due to be demolished are eskdale, ainsdale & silverdale, situated at the northern edge of the estate. an additional 153 homes in Langdale, Coniston & Cartmel could also be at risk as Camden Council are concerned about the proximity of the construction work and the general impact of development.

Camden Council have identified that 20% of their tenanted households effected are over 65 years of age, as highlighted in the documentary by local artist Jane gull; there is also a high proportion of bangladeshi tenants (16%) in these blocks, which reflects the diversity of the estate. Residents fall under three different categories homeowner, private rent, and the largest group social tenants. The impact of hs2 on residents situations depend on this status: social tenants have been told that they will be rehoused in the area, homeowners may have to accept CPO (compulsory purchase orders) at low rates, private tenants have little say.

Camden Council, although opposed to hs2, have recently released their euston area Plan,

which incorporates the current hs2 boundary line. They have proposed new housing to be built on some of the underused green spaces in the estate to accommodate the tenants that will be displaced by hs2. Camden Council have organised online consultations, a pop-up exhibition, and a petition against hs2; however the reaction on the ground suggested that this has only reached some residents.

The changes being proposed for the new euston station are already generating a sense of insecurity among residents of Regents Park estate, who are not certain of how such initiative will affect their housing situation.

The Dwelling group focused on particular dwelling experiences and practices of residents in the Regents Park estate with the objective to: (1) investigate how they relate to the potential options of relocation being proposed by hs2 and Camden Council; and (2) generate a debate on dwelling principles that can be used to elaborate proposals and deliberations on future dwelling alternatives for the residents of Regents Park estate.

The dwelling group engaged residents across the estate using a number of participatory tools to understand the context. an analysis of the key secondary sources such as hs2 proposals, government policy and the euston area plan as well as reports and media coverage contributed to understanding the dynamics of the situation.

The group used this research to develop a set of principles that could contribute to the Citizens Charter and form guidance based on the dwelling experiences of this London community.

21

Below/ Regents Park estate sign and map

22

Clockwise from above/ posters on consultations on infill housing, ground floor flat Ainsdale, under used green space on euston Road and proposed site for infill housing .

24

2 / Experiences

KEY QUESTIONS /

The Dwelling group focused on the key questions below to understand the dwelling experiences of the residents:

What are the dwelling aspirations of residents of Regents Park estate?

how are residents pursuing their dwelling aspirations and how are they conditioned by the changes taking place in euston area?

Drawing on these dwelling aspirations, practices and conditions, what are the key dwelling principles of residents of Regents Park estate?

DESCRIPTION /

Through desk based research and undertaking transect walks through the estate, the Dwelling group developed contextual knowledge of the area. a number of community groups and facilities within the Estate were identified. The Regents Park residents association is particularly active, as is the surma Centre that caters to the need of the bangladeshi community. These groups have been key actors in disseminating information to the residents of the estate regarding the proposed changes. however, residents outside these networks have expressed feelings of confusion and disempowerment with the situation. During the symposium on the first day of the workshop, there was a strong sense that it could be difficult to engage people in a conversation and there was consultation fatigue.

I have received many letters but I didnt

open them. There was a petition, but I do not really understand what this means

Methods of participatory engagement were examined to understand how to capture residents dwelling aspirations. The notion of engaging in an informal way as opposed to the more formal Camden consultations led the group to the idea of creating a pop-up living room. Using some tape, sticks and cable reels found in a UCL skip, the group proceeded to set up a space in the park offering tea and chat. The intervention was located next to a playground and on a busy route from euston road into the estate.

The theme of this initial tool was exploring: What is home for you? The group invited people into the makeshift home, primarily asking which block they lived in and recording this on an easily understandable hand drawn map. This led to a wider discussion expanding on their living circumstances, social networks, and thoughts about the Regents Park estate. simultaneously some members of the team carried out a photography exercise, asking people to take pictures of their most and least favourite places, an important object in their flat, and the view from their window. in depth interviews were also conducted with two different residents in their homes to collect their stories.

Throughout these conversations and exercises, a number of key issues began to emerge. it was decided to capture these in a set of 27 icons representing the positive and negative attributes of the estate that the residents had identified, which included the impact of hs2. To develop this conversation further, the group constructed an interactive

25

Below top/ sign erected as part of tea and chat exercise; tea and chat activity with residents.

26

board with the map at the centre and the icons around the edges, so that residents could pick the icons that were most important to them and locate them on the map.

The home was set up in the same position and the team again invited residents for tea and chat and implemented the new activity. Residents were asked to choose a number of icons and then elaborate on the reason of their choice, splitting these into things to keep and things to change. a second exercise with a blank plan of a flat was then used, switching the focus to their own house to understand the dwelling aspirations on a household scale.

During the Tea & Chat exercise the team engaged with about 30 residents from 10 different countries, aged between 11 and 81. Ranging from people that had spent their entire life in the estate and are very worried about the future, a son happy at the idea of their parents leaving the estate and council tenants that are happy to move out if the new flats look like those that have just been completed nearby.

FINDINGS /The residents of the Regents Park estate are a diverse demographic with a complex set of aspirations. The 27 icons used in the second exercise were grouped into emerging themes outlined below which allowed the team to build up a picture of this urban reality.

Livelihoods/Connectivity

The central London position of the estate with very good transport links was a very positive factor for the social mobility of many residents. The bangladeshi communitys proximity to Drummond street is crucial to the livelihood activities of this group. Most of the residents engaged worked in the local area; however some younger members expressed frustration with their current economic opportunities.

services/amenities

Being close to my GP is really important to me

The local library has recently closed; this was a talking point for a number of residents, as the library was a place where people could access the internet if they did not have it at home. There are a number of schools in close proximity, and families felt that this was a very positive attribute. The access to health services is generally very good and seen as important to older people and those with physical impairments. There are a number of organisations operating services for young people including sport and advice, which was important to local families.

There is access to green space and playgrounds within the area, many residents

27

commented on this and the fact that it gave them a nice outlook from their homes. The general building fabric in the estate was seen as poor with many lifts broken, problems with rubbish and large numbers of rats. Residents put the blame on Camden Council and there was a sense that the estate was being neglected.

social Fabric/safety

If we want this Estate to work, we need to focus on our similarities not our differences

The boundaries of the Estate are the walls of my home

Many residents expressed that a positive factor on their living circumstances was the strong social networks with family, friends and neighbours. One resident described how the local community had come together to fundraise a playground in the park. The diversity of the area was seen as an asset to some, however there were a few people who felt that the community was divided and this was also reflected in the intake of local schools.

Mixed comments about safety were collected with some feeling that crime was getting worse, as there was a problem with drugs and they would not go out after dark. Others expressed that they did feel safe because they knew a lot of people within the community and were not really effected by crime.

Communication/Density

although the urban layout of the estate gives the area a feeling of openness there is a problem with overcrowding within the flats themselves. A number of residents

expressed that their flats were too small for their families, with children sharing rooms, the introduction of the bedroom tax has made the situation worse. During the engagement it was indicated that social and private tenants have also been known to sublet or share creating an even higher density and overcrowding within the estate.

There are a number of community organisations in the estate; the surma centre and residents association have a strong presence, however some residents felt that communication between different groups in the estate could be improved.

hs2 impact

Its awful, its going to rip this community apart

The impact of the plans proposed by hs2 was an underlying element in almost all of the conversations with residents. Concerns ranged from understanding plans and which blocks were to be lost to confusion in how the changes would affect them. Many were worried about the noise and upheaval for a long period of time and were insecure about their living arrangements. There was an overarching view that residents did not feel empowered to engage in the process of regeneration and that many could not see how they fitted within this new vision for euston.

28

Below/ outcomes of participatory exercises with symbols.Opposite/ extract from dwelling boards representing residents reactions .

29

CHOICE OF HOUSING COLLABORATION

COMMUNICATION OF INFORMATIONDIVERSITY DRUG PROBLEMS

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

FUTURECONSTRUCTION

GREEN SPACES

HERITAGE AND CULTUREHOUSING DENSITY

LIBRARY

LIGHTING LIVING WAGEMAINTENANCE

HEALTH CARE

OVERCROWDING PEACEFULQUIET DAYTIME

RODENTS SCHOOLSSECURITY SYSTEM

LOCAL SHOPS

VIEWSTRANSPORTYOUTH CLUBSRELOCATION

RUBBISH

Above are the 8 Themes raised by the residents interpreted into icons that were used for further dialogue

CHOICE OF HOUSING

COLLABORATIONCOMMUNICATION OF

INFORMATIONDIVERSITY DRUG PROBLEMS


FUTURECONSTRUCTION

GREEN SPACESHERITAGE

AND CULTURE

HOUSING DENSITY

LIBRARYLIGHTING

LIVING WAGE

MAINTENANCE

HEALTH CARE

OVERCROWDING PEACEFUL QUIET DAYTIME

RODENTS

SCHOOLS SECURITY SYSTEM LOCAL SHOPS

VIEWS

TRANSPORT

YOUTH CLUBS

RELOCATION

RUBBISH

COLLABORATION

FUTURECONSTRUCTION

LIVELIHOODS SERVICES AMENITIES SAFETY COMMUNITY SOCIAL FABRIC COMMUNICATION DENSITYCONNECTIVITY

PRINCIPLES FOR THE REGENERATION OF THE REGENTS PARK ESTATE

Creating spaces for meaningfulcitizen participation that engages with multiple groups through appropriate techniques, comprehensible language and multiple strands of communication.

Providing housing choices that keep the current standards of access to health services, transportation and green spaces while improving the standards for livability and accessibility that respond to the diverse needs of residents.

Cultivating and strengthening social networks and bonds by supporting community-organized activities as well as safe and inclusive amenities.

Equitable development based on fair market transactions, recognising local economic systems and nurturing values of dignity, peaceful coexistence and solidarity.

VIEW

SAC

CES

SIN

TER

IOR

S

With my mobility issues, I need to live on the first floor especially

as the lift is often broken

This flat is too small and the walls are too

thinThere is five of us in the flat and

just one toilet. Its not enough especially since I have a son

with special needs

I love to cook but my kitchen is too small

I look out of my window and can keep an eye on my

kids as they play

I can see Hampstead Heath and Highgate hill from my

window, its a wonderful view

Illustrating dwelling experiences in the Regents Park estate

HS2? I am really worried about where I am going to live. I came to the UK 25 years

ago, escaping the war in my own country. This was the first place I came to and theone I know well. I am a tenant in one of

the blocks that will be knocked down and I am not sure what will happen to me and my family. For me, it is really important to stayclose to the nursery and school where

my children go. I walk them there everyday, but I have a severe physical impairment that makes it difficult for me to walk far.

Also, being close to the surgery is really important, as I often have pains and I need

to get prescriptions for my medicine. I received many documents about the

proposed changes, but I cannot understand what they mean. Do you have

any further information for me?

Over the course of the week we have engaged with 30 residents from the Regents Park Estate, from 10 countries with ages ranging from 11 to 81.

Above are the key issues raised by the residents interpreted into icons that were used for further dialogue

If we want this estate to work, we need to focus on

our similaritiesnot our differences

The library was a place for children to meet and study.

For us to find information and feel connected

Rats, Rats, Rats!!Im close to good shops

and my friends live in nearby blocks

We are so well connected to buses, trains and the

tube

This is the forgotten part of Camden

There are drug dealers outside my block

The boundaries of the estate are the walls of my home

I couldnt understand the letter I received from the

council about HS2

Im 80 years old and I have learnt to use photoshop on a

local course

My neighbours are from Serbia, Italy, England... Its so nice, we always

have tea together

I work during the night. How will I be able to sleep in the day with the construction happening next

door?

We all put money towards the park for the

children

DWELLINGRegents Park Estate

The plans proposed by HS2 will potentially displace residents from three housing blocks on the Regents Park Estate and affect the quality of life for the neighbourhood specially during the estimated 15 years construction period. Local residents are uncertain of how such initiative will effect their housing conditions.

The Dwelling group focused on particular dwelling experiences and practices of residents of Regents Park Estate with the objective to 1) investigate how they relate to the potential threat of relocation being proposed by HS2 and Camden Council; and 2) to generate a debate on dwelling principles that can be used to elaborate

proposals and deliberations on future dwelling improvements and alternatives for the residents of Regenets Park Estate.This poster illustrates the concerns raised by local residents represented through 27 icons, and aggregated into 8 themes, which inform the development of 4 principles for future changes.

This is a map of the Regents Park Estate showing the location of residents that participated in the study




FUTURECONSTRUCTION

GREEN SPACES


LIBRARY


HEALTH CARE



LOCAL SHOPS


RUBBISH


CHOICE OF HOUSING




FUTURECONSTRUCTION


AND CULTURE

HOUSING DENSITY

LIBRARYLIGHTING

LIVING WAGE

MAINTENANCE

HEALTH CARE


RODENTS


VIEWS

TRANSPORT

YOUTH CLUBS

RELOCATION

RUBBISH

COLLABORATION

FUTURECONSTRUCTION







VIEW

SAC

CES

SIN

TER

IOR

S






with special needs



kids as they play


















Rats, Rats, Rats!!Im close to good shops and my friends live in

nearby blocks


tube





council about HS2


local course


have tea together


door?


children









FUTURECONSTRUCTION

GREEN SPACES


LIBRARY


HEALTH CARE



LOCAL SHOPS


RUBBISH


CHOICE OF HOUSING




FUTURECONSTRUCTION


AND CULTURE

HOUSING DENSITY

LIBRARYLIGHTING

LIVING WAGE

MAINTENANCE

HEALTH CARE


RODENTS


VIEWS

TRANSPORT

YOUTH CLUBS

RELOCATION

RUBBISH

COLLABORATION

FUTURECONSTRUCTION







VIEW

SAC

CES

SIN

TER

IOR

S






with special needs



kids as they play


















Rats, Rats, Rats!!Im close to good shops and my friends live in

nearby blocks


tube





council about HS2


local course


have tea together


door?


children






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Micro-story: do you have any information?

hs2? i am really worried about where i am going to live. i came to the UK 25 years ago, escaping the war in my own country. This was the first place I came to and the one I know well. i am a tenant in one of the blocks that will be knocked down and i am not sure what will happen to me and my family. For me, it is really important to stay close to the nursery and school where my children go. i walk them there every day, but i have a severe physical impairment that makes it difficult for me to walk far. also, being close to the surgery is really important, as i often have pains and i need to get prescriptions for my medicine. i received many documents about the proposed changes, but i cannot understand what they mean. Do you have any further information for me?

Micro-story: ageing in Regents Park Estate

i am going to miss this place very much. i live on the sixth floor and I have a wonderful view from my flat. I can see Highgate Hill its beautiful, i like the sound of the trains and watching them, i am like a big kid with trains i even remember when there were steam trains coming into euston station. i am getting old and have trouble walking, and the lift is always breaking down so I really need a first floor flat I dont want to be on the ground floor because of the rats. I can tell you many stories about this place over the years i have lived in the area since i was a kid. you can be quite lonely here if you are by yourself, people dont care like they used to, i am lucky to have a lot of friends here but everyone is worried about what is happening at euston.Micro-story 03

Clockwise from above/ Outcomes of participatory photography exercises, views, open space and kitchen size were particularly important to residents.

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Micro-story: living together

i am a Council tenant in ainsdale, one of the blocks that hs2 want to demolish. i have been in this flat for 7 years with my daughter, but I grew up in islington. i like the community feel of the estate people greet you, there are many characters around and theres always something that makes you laugh. it is also a very good location, not far from Central London, Camden Town and my daughters school in great Portland street.

The estate is safe enough but can be a bit rough after dark. My daughter likes it and there are also kids and youth clubs that organise many activities and events for the young residents. i think that the estate itself is not very attractive because its all flats, nothing else. i would like more lighting, more care of the external spaces, and a solution to the rat problem!

I like this flat, there is a good amount of space and it is at the ground floor with access to the garden and my daughter has her own bedroom. Camden Council installed new kitchens in 2013 because of the introduction

of new eU standards. it is nice but a bit of a waste of money, i also think it gives residents mixed messages about the plans for the area.

i am not against hs2 and the regeneration plans, it could be helpful for the area, it has been good for Kings Cross. i am most worried about the construction period its going to be really disruptive i work nights and sleep in the day so if its noisy i wont get any rest.

i dont mind moving - ideally within the estate - but i dont think its right that Camden Councils is building some of the replacement homes right by the construction site; i would like an option that suits my needs. i think that if the displaced residents had to bid again for the replacement homes this would put more pressure on the community and create conflicts.

i am actually happy that i dont own the house, if the plans will go ahead free holders probably wont be able to afford living in the area anymore.

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KEY QUESTIONS / What are the dwelling options being proposed by hs2 and Camden Council for residents affected by the changes in euston area?

how are residents responding to the proposed plans and what are their strategies for reacting to them?

CURRENT PROPOSALS/SCENARIOS / Camden faces a loose, loose situation from HS2 and it is appalling (sarah hayward, Camden Council Leader)

although detailed impact assessments for the environmental conditions generated by hs2 construction have been undertaken, no meaningful studies into the social impact to the local community have been conducted by hs2 Ltd. in fact, the information provided by hs2 has been purposefully limited which has contributed to the uncertainty faced by residents.

Camden Councils euston area Plan has taken on board the current proposal by hs2, and have suggested alternatives in how the proposal can be integrated into a wider urban plan promoting connectivity, providing extra affordable housing and retaining green space. in their eaP Camden have committed to securing long term benefits from station redevelopment for existing neighbouring communities and helping to mitigate the shorter term impacts of hs2. To this end,

Camden Council launched a competition to design the housing on the infill sites on the estate; the finalists had already been selected at the time of the workshop, and an event to

present the schemes to the residents was being organised. Camden Council have taken the decision that the construction of these blocks will happen even if hs2 doesnt go ahead, with a waiting list of 25,000 people they cannot afford to lose these homes without replacements. These new blocks will further increase the building density in the estate and replace green areas, a positive attribute to the neighbourhood. During their workshop, many residents placed the view from their homes and access to outdoor areas as central features in residents dwelling aspirations.

Camden Council has urged hs2 to take on board their proposals, but there is currently no sign that these will be considered. The compensation on the table for the effected communities is also in limbo, as currently only social residents whose homes will be destroyed are likely to receive an option for relocation in the area. Most recently, the Council has pproposed a compensation charter with the fair deal for London alliance focusing on fairer mechanisms for home-owners and businesses in the affected areas.

Opposite / extract from Camden Councils euston Area Plan, showing infill housing sites.

3 / Options

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33

St. PancrasInternational

Kings Cross

WarrenStreet

EustonSquare

GreatPortland

Street

MorningtonCrescent

Euston Square Gardens improvement including landscaping and enhanced connectivity

Commercial uses with active ground floor retail uses onto Euston Square Gardens and surrounding streets/ public realm

Active retail frontages alongEversholt Street

Relocated schoolfacilities and/or mixed uses

New public square tomark station entrance

New and improvedcrossings across Euston Road

Potential location forre-provision of lostSt. Jamess Gardens

New stationentrance on Hampstead Road with taxi pick-up and drop-off

Residential led mixed-use developments to the northof Euston station

Station entrance fromEversholt Street

Residential developments on deck above railway tracks

New public open spaceon deck above railway tracks

Active frontages and public realm improvements along Cobourg Street

Extended and enhanced Drummond Street retaining its existing special character

KEY EAST-WEST LINKSFROM EUSTON STATION TO REGENTS PARK

KEY EAST-WEST LINKSFROM EUSTON STATION TO KINGS CROSS/ ST. PANCRAS

B L O O M S B U R Y

Ham

pste

ad R

oad

Euston

Road

ClarenceGarden

CumberlandMarket

MunsterSquare

Eusto

n Squ

are

Garde

ns

Camden High Street

Tottenham Court Road

P a r k V i l l a g e E a s t

Euston

Stat

ion Doric

Way

Robert Street

Varndell St.

Phoe

nix Ro

ad

Polyg

on R

oad

Eversholt Street

Drum

mond

St.

Longford Stre et

Eusto

n St.

Figure 3.1 : Overall spatial concept illustration

Key east-west and north-south links

Indicative development blocks

Main retail frontages

Commercial / other active frontages

Station entrances

Potential taxi drop-o/pick up locations

New / improved pedestrain / cycle crossings

Replacement housing inll sites

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REACTIONS/COUNTER-PROPOSALS / This is the forgotten part of Camden

The outcome of the engagement activities indicated that residents were not opposed to change. There were many common issues that people wanted to improve in the estate that would advance their current conditions. The reaction to hs2 proposals were mixed but there was an acknowledgement that the new station and facilities could have a positive effect bringing more jobs and development to the area. The main concern was where the existing community fitted into these proposals. There was a general need for more transparency in the information presented and to allow residents to fully understand the options available to them.

The charter proposed by London Citizens hopes to capture the voices of the effected communities and push towards a fairer model of regeneration that recognises the value of the current social fabric and capital. There are currently different groups representing the Regents Park estate and greater engagement and capacity building within these networks will allow the residents to have more of a voice in the process.

Opposite above/ Collating information from participatory exercises. Opposite below/ new housing development adjacent to Regents Park.

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based on the diagnosis of dwelling experiences and options, what alternative scenarios can be produced to stimulate the elaboration of dwelling alternatives in a manner that responds to the needs and aspirations of local residents?

The group used the data gathered to develop a set of principles that best represented the aspirations of the residents. The principles recognise that some form of change is going to affect the Regents Park estate, and provide guidance on how change should be implemented.

4 / Principles

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3/ Cultivating and strengthening social networks and bonds by supporting community-organized activities as well as safe and inclusive amenities.

4/ equitable development based on fair market transactions, recognising local economic systems and nurturing values of dignity, peaceful coexistence and solidarity.

1/ Creating spaces for meaningful citizen participation that engages with multiple groups through appropriate techniques, comprehensible language and multiple strands of communication.

2/ Providing housing choices that keep the current standards of access to health services, transportation and green spaces while improving the standards for livability and accessibility that respond to the diverse needs of residents.

// DwELLING

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Community

The Community scale is concerned with the neighbourhood scale, focusing on community dynamics in relation to neighbourhood spaces (streets, community spaces and surrounding areas) and infrastructure (transport, water, sanitation, energy, information). This scale interrogates the current conditions of these features, as well as the needs and aspirations that the residents attach to each of them. subsequently, and drawing from this analysis, the group assesse the limitations and opportunities of the existing situation to assist in designing scenarios to inform future development plans.

One of the objectives of this approach is to bridge societal processes with the morphological characteristics of space; hence the community group seeks to map the physical conditions of the area, while unpacking the values and perceptions the residents attach to it. Moreover, this scale aims to generate a clearer understanding of how socio-spatial processes are shaped by everyday life activities, and vice-versa. equally important for this scale is to explore the meaning of community, and explore the multiplicity and heterogeneity within and among communities.

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For SALE







School disruption


Removal of graves

Loss of heritage

I work in Euston station and likehaving lunch here. Its the closest

green space to the station; its quietand relaxing...

There is enough personal spaceaway from smoking, concrete, cafesand the buildings are obscured by

trees so I feel less like Im in a city

Last week we had a BBQ herewith friends, its a nice place to

meet new people. I asked a girl outwhen I was down here last...

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For SALE







School disruption


Removal of graves

Loss of heritage

I work in Euston station and likehaving lunch here. Its the closest

green space to the station; its quietand relaxing...

There is enough personal spaceaway from smoking, concrete, cafesand the buildings are obscured by

trees so I feel less like Im in a city

Last week we had a BBQ herewith friends, its a nice place to

meet new people. I asked a girl outwhen I was down here last...

42

st. James gardens is tucked away off Cardington street, to the west of euston station, and is a former burial ground which opened in 1788. it became a public garden in 1887 and is now run by Camden Council. Current hs2 proposals will result in the loss of two thirds of the park. Using st. James gardens as a case study, the community group aimed to understand how open space is utilised by local communities and what the limitations and opportunities in relation to this are.

Through the case study of st. James gardens, the Community group addressed collective dynamics in relation to the garden and other open spaces in the euston area. The group focused on how the hs2 development is going to impact on open space and community amenities in the area by looking at existing circumstances and the impact of future development. The aim was to generate principles that address challenges and opportunities identified in both instances.

The group first focused on understanding community experiences and using a number of participatory tools. These tools included walk and talks, semi-structured interviews, space observations and listening to personal stories, and sought to find answers to the following questions:

What are the values and aspirations that local communities attach to st. James gardens?

how is st. James gardens currently used as a community amenity and is it used to its full potential?

how does st. James gardens currently connect to other open spaces/community

amenities in the area?

how are other open spaces used in the area?

as mentioned, hs2 proposals, at the time of the workshop, would result in the permanent loss of two thirds of st. Jamess gardens open space, but also half of the hampstead Road open space. The whole of st. James gardens, hampstead Road open space, and euston square gardens will be temporarily lost as they are likely to be required to construct the new railway lines and therefore will not be useable for approximately 10 years during the hs2 construction period. The group looked at the proposed open space options from hs2 and the Council, and sought to understand the following questions through open space mapping, participatory mapping, and research.

What are the available options being considered by hs2 and Camden Council to replace open space and community amenities lost due to the station expansion?

how are local communities responding to the proposed plans?

Finally, the group then devised a set of principles based on the findings of their participatory engagement throughout the week, in particular dreaming activities that sought to explore alternatives for open space. Principles would be used to inform and shape future developments to create successful open space and community amenities in the local area.

1 / Introduction

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Below, from top/ entrance to st James gardens with euston station behind; group mapping of green spaces.

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Clockwise from above/scenes from st James garden showing public use and surrounding buildings, asF-UK Workshop team, day 01 tour.

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2 / Experiences

DESCRIPTION / Through various activities and the use of a number of participatory tools of engagement the community group attempted to reveal narratives, relationships, and flows associated with how local communities value and use open space in their area.

The process followed a trajectory of diagnosis, dreaming, defining through to refining, building on each stage of the process from information collected in the previous phase and analysis of the findings to inform the next steps.

Diagnosis embraced initial insights gleaned on the first day of the workshop where an understanding of the importance of st. James gardens was conveyed both by local residents and representatives of the Camden Council. The group spent a considerable portion of the next day observing users of the park, trying to gain a quantitative perspective for themselves.

initial perceptions of the gardens were that it was somewhat dark and gloomy, but these soon changed as the group spent more time in the park. Throughout the day the group observed a variety of users. Use included: short term, such as joggers and commuters; medium term, including dog walkers from the local area and people having their breakfast/lunch, through to longer term use by a constantly changing group in one corner of the park and a number of people hanging out together for large portions of the day.

some of the group walked from st. James gardens to Regents Park and other key open spaces in the neighbourhood to understand connectivity and the types of spaces available within walking distance for the majority of

residents. These included: local allotments and Cumberland Market; Muncaster square and Clarence gardens. Later in the day between 15h00 and 16h00 the same members of the team walked down Roberts street, witnessing large numbers of school children walking home from the netley school, talking, playing, walking alone, or accompanied by an adult. They all appeared to be local residents and were filtering back into housing in the Regents Park estate. The road has an avenue of trees running down one side and forms a green artery in the area, hosting local shops and cafs that cater for the community.

Two members of the team spent a short while in the forecourt of euston station observing usage, before spending a bit of time on the eastern edge of the station trying to understand open space and occupation.

The next stage of our diagnosis included rapid profiling and interviews. Members of the group asked people three questions:

Where are you going and where did you come from? What route did you take? are you a resident or in the area for work?

if people had a bit more time then the questions moved onto finding out what people like and dislike about st. James gardens, and what they would improve.

Throughout the remainder of the day different members of the group engaged in semi-structured interviews with various users of the park, to understand what value they hold to the space and how important the space was for them.

Through the interviews and rapid profiling exercises, we established that quite a small

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Above/ Euston Square Gardens, public use

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Micro-story: takeaway lunch

a man sitting on one of the few benches eating his lunch on his own has been coming to st. James gardens for six years. he says that he goes to all the parks in the area depending on how hes feeling that day. he uses st. James gardens particularly when he has bought something hot from the takeaway places locally as its the closest park. he also goes to st. Pancras gardens, Tavistock gardens, brunswick gardens, and st. georges gardens. he likes st. James gardens and thinks it works well at the moment, although he thinks there should be more benches so more people could use it. Melissa Kinnear

Micro-story: clearing ones head

a woman sitting on one of the benches frequently uses st. James gardens and works in the local area and has done so for seven years. she enjoys st. James gardens because it is a very simple park with trees, grass, dogs off leads, a basketball court, and open space. its not particularly beautiful but it is a green space with a few sunny patches when the sun is out. however, she does not feel particularly comfortable in the space but she uses the park, primarily to escape her cold office and the screens. She said the park is a nice place to sit and chill, a place to hide, my little space near to where i work and to clear my head. she feels like its a small sanctuary away from the density of euston and all the buildings and people smoking. Charles Palmer

Opposite/ st. James garden view of trees

Micro-story: between shifts

a young woman sitting on her own early in the morning was eating her breakfast on one of the benches closest to the ball courts. she said that she works at the train station doing 7-hour shifts and comes here for most of her breaks. she drives to work from essex and has free parking. she likes the park but feels that there should be more benches. she is a little bit worried about the guys hanging around drinking, but as they rarely speak to anybody except themselves, she is not overly bothered by them. Melissa Kinnear

Micro-story: beware of dog

A woman walking through the park first thing in the morning works nearby to st James gardens at a primary school. she walks both ways every day from behind the Town hall in Kings Cross. she is scared of dogs when they are off the lead and was terrified to walk through half the park on her own, as there was a dog off the lead at the time of the interview. she adamantly refuses to bring the children from the primary school to this park because of the dogs off the lead, even though it is the closest park to the school. Melissa Kinnear

Micro-story: a space of encounters

One of a group of males who sit in the corner of the park spoke about the tension in the 80s that used to separate communities based on their ethnic background. he feels that st. James gardens is a great space to meet new people and just have a simple chat with them. he believes that when someone enters into the park, any perceived boundaries attached to their background are diminished and no matter who you are, an office worker or student, the space invites you to possibly have a chance encounter and open dialogue which crosses social/economic barriers. he feels like st. James gardens is his community park but he feels like it has been neglected, unlike other parks, which seem to be better maintained. Kathering Wong

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percentage of local people seemed to use the park during the week, other than as a shortcut. We also noted that quite a few people mentioned that st. James gardens was only one of the open spaces they use in the area to have their lunch. This lead to further investigation of the variety of spaces to the east of euston square, adding to the mapping done to the west of the park previously executed.

as part of the regeneration of the Kings Cross station there has been substantial investment in a number of open spaces to meet a variety of users needs in the area. st. Pancras gardens, a similar type of space to st James gardens including many trees and grassy areas, is much larger in area and includes important landmarks: the hardy Tree and the Tomb of sir John soane. granary square, recently completed, is more of a contemporary urban square and is similar in character to many of the regenerated squares across London. it includes hard landscaping, well-positioned trees, water fountains, benches, and a tiered seating area down to the canal. it hosts a

street food collective which has a rotating set of traders who set up daily and a number of restaurants and tea rooms adjacent to the square. it caters to a very particular section of Londons citizens including students, people who work in the area during the week and local residents on the weekend.

in order to move from diagnosis to dreaming, the group managed to secure a spot at the local wellbeing festival, which was to be held in Cumberland Market on the saturday all day. This community space is well used and has an adjacent community centre where multiple activities are organised. The intention for the day was to engage with as many children and parents as possible, aiming to understand the kinds of spaces they use and how they use them, where they live in relation to Cumberland Market and what their aspirations were for open space. To gather this information the stand included a few maps with key landmarks noted, stickers, post-it notes, sharpie marker pens, a dream wall which had a number of questions and drawings included to encourage divergent thinking, and a variety of precedent

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images of aspirational open spaces attached to balloons for further inspiration.

The questions on the dream wall included:

if you could have anything in an outdoor community space what would it be? how can we make the existing spaces better? how can we connect existing spaces and new spaces?What does a safe space mean for you? What is the best open space youve been to?

Children and their parents visited the stand all day giving their thoughts and responses to the questions. it was a successful day as the group managed to speak with a wide variety of children from within the neighbourhood and gained useful insights into the kinds of activities and uses of the various open spaces.

Moving into defining, the group assessed all of the information and findings from the first three days of the workshop. Through the diagnosis and dreaming stages of the research, it became clear that open spaces are critical to the wellbeing of a dense and diverse urban population. The group concluded that a variety of scales and types of space cater for

Above/ example of new public space in Kings Cross.Below/ Wellbeing Festival in Cumberland Market.

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multiple users needs and that removing st. James gardens would create a considerable vacuum within this community. st. James gardens allows for a certain intensity of use, which has specific qualities that are hard to replicate in larger spaces or smaller spaces for defined activities.

FINDINGS: OPEN SPACE SCALES / From the activities described and the research undertaken a number of scales were identified in relation to open space provision, all of which are critical to holistically addressing the multiple and diverse needs of people within a neighbourhood. These scales include:

The domestic scale: spaces such as Cumberland Market were identified as domestic scale spaces where the space is a residential amenity space, used by mostly local residents on a daily basis for children playing, sport, hanging out with friends and weekend events.

The community scale: spaces such as st James gardens, a public open space used by the wider community including local residents, commuters and people working in the local area. This kind of space also performs as a local green lung for the neighbourhood and a vital viewing aspect for people in adjacent buildings like the hotel and the offices facing out onto the gardens.

The metropolitan scale: spaces such as Regents Park, which is used by the wider community of the city on a much larger scale, but also for local residents to use for special occasions like feeding the ducks with grandparents on the weekend, or visiting the

rose gardens.

Through the personal stories collected by the Community group, it was obvious that each user attached different values to each scale of space. The value a parent held for the domestic scale type of open space was very different, but no less important, to that a young person held for the community scale type of open space.

Opposite/ outcomes of participatory engagement activities at the wellbeing Festival in Cumberland Gardens

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3 / Options

Opposite above/ 3D Visual produced by hs2 of the proposed station development.Below/ extract from Camden Councils euston area Plan showing public space strategy.

CURRENT PROPOSALS/SCENARIOS / While the main focus of the Community group was the use of existing open space and future aspirations for open space in the area, during the workshop the options available to, and in some cases, produced by local community groups to shape the future of community open space in the local area were also identified. Potential options have been proposed for the replacement st James gardens by hs2, Camden Council, and the Pan Camden hs2 alliance and include:

hs2 options: as mentioned, the hs2 proposals will result in the permanent loss of two thirds of st James gardens and half of the hampstead Road open space. Proposed plans to replace st James gardens at the time of the workshop involved pockets of smaller open space in the area, including an existing third of st James gardens, located at what will be a busy station entrance. The Community group were not aware of proposals to provide temporary open space to replace that which would be lost during the approximate 10-year construction period.

Camden Council options: as part of the euston area Plan (eaP), Camden Council have considered where st James gardens could be re-provided should hs2 proposals go ahead. The eaP proposes the Maria Fidelis Lower school, currently located beside st James gardens on north gower street, is relocated to its upper school on Phoenix Road. This will then allow for st James gardens to be re-provided on the lower school site. The eaP also proposes new railway cuttings are covered over and additional open space can be provided to the north of euston.

Pan Camden hs2 alliance: The Pan Camden alliance is a non party-political volunteer group, formed in May 2010. The groups aim is to comprehensively examine the underlying environmental, practical and business arguments put forward by hs2 Ltd for its choice of route and its justifications for its proposals. The Pan Camden alliance has proposed a Double-Deck Down solution, which is a multi-level station that will keep within the footprint of the existing station. as part of this proposal st James gardens would be extended to the east, bringing it into the station forecourt in an attempt to address some current issues in the park and reinstate the park to its original size.

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Figure 3.13 Open space network illustration

Crown copyright and database rights 2012Ordnance Survey Licence Number 100049190

Registered in England. Registration number 06791686. Registered office: Eland House, Bressenden Place, London SW1E 5DU.

HS2 Ltd accept no responsibility for any circumstances, which arise from the reproduction of this map after alteration, amendment or abbreviation or if it is issued in part or issued incomplete in anyway.Figure Name

Figure Number

Doc Number: Date: 01/11/13

LV-14-004

Illustration of Euston Station:view from the north-west

C220-ARP-EV-SKE-01A-000006

Community Forum Area CFA1:Euston - Station and Approach

View of Euston station entrance from the north-west, adjacent Hampstead Road

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Opposite/ Mapping public space and activities.

REACTIONS/COUNTER PROPOSALS / While most of our work related to existing open space provision and aspirations for future open space in the euston area, some participants voiced their concerns regarding the current hs2 proposals for st. James gardens. all felt the loss of the open space would have a significant negative impact on the area. It was felt the space, despite appearing to be underused, was a much-needed space and its historical importance would be a tragedy to lose.

The main issue with proposed options, in particular the hs2 option, was the reduced amount of open space to be provid

Change by Design, Collective imaginations for contested sites in Euston

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