New London Architecture

Strand Aldwych

Built

Strand Aldwych reclaims a heavily polluted gyratory creating a car-free place for people and nature. The project has freed St Mary le Strand church and created a unique cultural landscape.

It’s rare to be able to create expansive public realm in historic city centres, but Westminster has invested £22 million into converting two busy roads, Strand and Aldwych, to establish welcoming civic space.

Changes to traffic circulation were key to reclaiming significant space for people and nature. Through-traffic was removed from Strand between Waterloo Bridge and Arundel Street, establishing a stunning, tranquil space with all the benefits of a healthy street, and managing the needs of cyclists and bus services. Aldwych became two-way; slower and now safer, with five new signalised pedestrian crossings.

The project liberated Grade 1 listed St Mary-Le-Strand Church from its role as a glorified traffic island within a one-way gyratory.

Seating and resting areas beneath 100-year old plane trees make this thoroughfare a place for cultural exchange and relaxation. Once polluted and noisy, Strand is now full of life. People sit chatting, laughing, snacking, reading, even in mid-winter. Generous spans of beautiful sculptural seats, colourful chairs and long tables make the place inviting and welcoming. 7000m2 of all-inclusive public realm has been created where there was none, designed to meet the daily needs of a community comprising students, academics, visitors, office workers, residents, and businesses. A Civic Trust award panel said that the scheme sets a precedent for transformations in cities worldwide.

Strand is home to key cultural and educational centres, including King’s College London, the London School of Economics, Somerset House, the Courtauld Institute and 180 Studios. Now, they have a public space to use for installations, rehearsals and performances, events and research.

Air quality on Strand is significantly improved and the new design mitigates urban heating. There are 41 new trees and 1,370m2 of biodiverse planting, supporting pollinating insects, providing year-round colour and interest and bringing people into contact with nature.

Cannon Ivers, Director, LDA Design said:

“Dating as far back as AD190, the Strand has always been about movement and transport. Now we have a democratic space for everyone to enjoy, with seating for up to 700 people. It is the institutions, embassies, businesses, universities and hotels that help to give Strand Aldwych its distinct identity and now people from all of these have somewhere to come together. We hope the project will encourage other global cities to be bold, reclaim polluted streets, and create spaces for communities and nature to thrive."

This project is featured as a case study alongside our Public London: Activating the City insight study. The publication, exhibition and online project directory explore what constitutes a successful and democratic public realm today, the role of co‑creation and partnerships, and how we can ensure that places are fit‑for‑purpose in the long term.
Download the report
New London Awards 2023

New London Awards 2023

Winner in the Public Spaces category

Strand Aldwych is a reclaiming of a heavily polluted gyratory to create a car-free place for people and nature. The project has freed St Mary le Strand church and created a unique cultural landscape.

Project information

Status

Built

Borough

Westminster

Size

7000 sq m

Estimated completion

December 2022


Location

30 Aldwych, London WC2B 4BG, UK


Team Credits

Client

Westminster City Council

Landscape Architect

LDA Design

Lead Designer

LDA Design

Transport Consultant

Norman Rourke Pryme

Transport Engineer

WSP

Lighting Designer

Michael Grubb Studio

Structural Engineer

WSP

Other

The Northbank BID

Contractor

FM Conway


Listed by

LDA Design

Last updated on

27/06/2024


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