Ruchi Chakravarty discusses the importance of meanwhile projects in London's placemaking, highlighting their ability to drive community engagement, as seen in the Public London publication.

As we look to the future of placemaking in London, meanwhile projects offer valuable insights and lessons learned. In an era marked by rapid urbanisation, climate change, and social inequality, the need for agile, adaptable approaches to urban development has never been greater. Meanwhile projects provide a blueprint for how temporary interventions can pave the way for long-term transformation, harnessing the power of collaboration, innovation, and community engagement. 

With multi-year project timelines within a fast-evolving context, projects often face challenges to their relevance from conceptualising through development to realisation. The considered use of a meanwhile strategy through project life cycles can provide significant ‘check points’ and a window into a transformed future to the community. When combined with a cohesive engagement and co-creative process across the project’s lifecycle these interventions foster a sense of ownership and pride within local communities, whilst benefitting from feedback loops which positively influence and add richness to the permanent project. Through collaboration and co-creation, stakeholders become actively involved in the shaping of their built environment and the trust forged through these grassroots initiatives serves as a solid foundation for impactful engagement and inclusive decision-making processes. 

The Strand Aldwych scheme, by LDA Design for Westminster City Council, was developed and co-created over a 5-year period with over 70 stakeholders, in partnership with local stakeholders including the Northbank BID, King’s College London, London School of Economics, Somerset House Trust, St Mary Le Strand and The Courtauld Institute. 

The project benefitted from meanwhile activation as a skatepark with alfresco dining in 2021 and was delivered in 2022 as a part-meanwhile project, with the public space designed as a ‘mock up’ of the permanent scheme. This has made way for experimentation in stakeholder led management structures, curation and maintenance whilst managing changes triggered by major schemes, such as the work initiated by the Heritage Lottery Fund for St Mary Le Strand. 

The approach built upon lessons in the development and delivery of Times Square in New York over 6 years, going from a temporary closure in 2009 and building evidence to convince a sceptical stakeholder base, to a permanent and successful scheme delivered in 2015. 

Beyond their immediate impact on neighbourhoods, meanwhile projects serve as catalysts for innovation, pushing the boundaries of traditional urban design and planning. Freed from the constraints of permanence, these projects provide a platform for experimentation and exploration of alternative uses for urban space. From pop-up parks to temporary art installations, meanwhile projects spark creativity and challenge conventional notions of placemaking. 

The LFA intervention in 2019 on the Harrow Road Canalside commissioned by Westminster City Council is one such example where a conversation was triggered with the community, stakeholders and Canals & Rivers Trust around the future of the canalside. The scheme explored potential changes to the towpath combined with a community focused events programme, learnings from which are being incorporated in the development for the long-term canal strategy for the area. 

The ripple effects of meanwhile projects extend far beyond their physical footprint, influencing design thinking at a city-wide level. 

The principles and lessons learned from meanwhile projects permeate urban policy, leading to more inclusive, sustainable, and people-centric approaches to city-building. The Barcelona Superblocks are a prime example of how this is helping the city to achieve its net zero targets. The combination of top-down strategy  around traffic movement with bottom-up, citizen-led initiatives such as the Bici Bus (bike bus) and the creation of people friendly urban spaces within blocks through tactical urbanism has resulted in a symbiosis of design, strategy and speedy delivery through an agile approach over time, providing a benchmark for dense urban centres around considered change towards strategic objectives, in this case, net zero targets. 

In conclusion, meanwhile projects are not mere temporary installations; used effectively they have the potential to be agents of change, with the potential to drive forward the evolution of the built environment. By activating spaces, building trust, and fostering innovation, successful meanwhile projects can leave an indelible mark on the city, shaping design thinking and placemaking practices for years to come.