Rathbone Square
London, United Kingdom | 2017
Rathbone Square is a mixed-use development, previously occupied by the Royal Mail’s West End Delivery Office. Comprising of office, retail, and residential buildings, Gustafson Porter + Bowman led the formation of its 1800m2 publicly accessible, garden square. A respite from the frenetic activity of central London, it is a place to be discovered and enjoyed in the heart of Fitzrovia.
Our design for the central garden creates a calm, welcoming, and secluded space thanks to its artistic use of light, materials, water and reflection. The stone on the water tables, developed in collaboration with John Gould of Texxus, resemble flowing water, while the public drinking fountain has been designed by the sculptor Alison Wilding. A sculpted timber bench and shade tolerant planting frames the central lawn and at the garden’s three entrances, there are statement bronze gates designed by the artist Robert Orchardson.
On the western edge perennial planting provides softness, colour and texture to form a series of ‘garden rooms’ that enrich the experience of the visitor and more generally, enhance the quality of public spaces in the local area.
“Rathbone Square’s grass and benches provide a tranquil refuge, not just shielded from traffic by the buildings, but immersed in a refined, varied mix of nature and design.”
“...But best of all is the new 1,800m² public garden around which all these facilities are arranged, a generous piece of civic placemaking that firmly embeds the scheme within its surrounding urban grain and pedestrian realm. ”
“With the new garden square, we have created something that did not exist before...the entrances were designed to create a sense of intrigue, catch people’s eye and invite them into a tranquil garden space...”
“Our design sets up a visual connection from the street to the centre of the garden using light, water, and reflection within a planted landscape in the heart of London”
“Rathbone Square has successfully combined and expressed a number of uses and added value – not only for the end-users but also the general public, through the delivery of a new, publicly accessible space at its heart.”
Awards
2018 Winner, BALI National Landscape Awards
2018 Shortlist, Mixed-use category, New London Architecture Awards
2018 Shortlist, Development of the Year, RESI Awards
2018 Shortlist, Building Magazine Project of the Year
2018 Shortlist, Best West End New-Build, OAS Development Awards
2018 Shortlist, Mixed-use category, New London Architecture Awards
2018 Shortlist, Small-scale development category, Landscape Institute awards
2018 Shortlist, Landscape category, Architects' Journal Architecture Awards