Camden Council and London Festival of Architecture announce the unveiling of Camden subSTRATUM
Camden Council and the London Festival of Architecture (LFA) have announced that the innovative proposal Camden subSTRATUM from Edgy Collective x LINDA - winners of the ‘Square Camden High Street’ design competition - which launched on 30 October.
The competition forms part of Camden Council’s year-long Cultural Programme, developed to support the trial pedestrianisation of Camden High Street. Together with the LFA, the council invited emerging architects, designers and artists to reimagine a key stretch of the high street as a more vibrant, inclusive public realm. The project aims to transform the high street from a place of transit into a place to gather, connect, and celebrate Camden’s diverse community.
The winning design, Camden subSTRATUM captures the spirit of Camden — bold, inclusive, and community-driven and to better serve the people who live, work, and visit here.
Developed to respond to feedback from a public consultation and delivered through a local collaboration, the design introduces inclusive seating, greenery, and sustainable materials to create a welcoming and accessible public space.
Rosa Regina, London Festival of Architecture, said:
“The trial closure offers a chance to test how the street could function as a more pedestrian-friendly environment, and having a built component to the project adds real value alongside cultural programming. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how design competitions and creative interventions in everyday spaces can unlock new ideas, engage local communities, and inform long-term change.”
The Winning Design: Camden subSTRATUM
Camden subSTRATUM reimagines the high street as a civic square that places people and nature at its centre. Developed in response to public consultation, the design introduces inclusive seating, greenery, and sustainable materials to create a welcoming, accessible public space that celebrates Camden Town’s character.
A continuous, level surface improves accessibility and safety for all. Curving planters ripple through the square, slowing the pace of movement and encouraging moments of rest and connection. Underfoot, a punk stud-inspired pattern radiates from the centre - a subtle tribute to Camden’s iconic musical and cultural heritage.
Seating is made from locally sourced, naturally fallen London oak, with organic edges preserved to reflect the passage of time. Arranged for flexibility - from social gatherings to solo reflection - the design ensures wheelchair users can sit alongside others in comfort and equality.
The planting scheme prioritises resilience and biodiversity. Recycled materials enhance drainage and reduce water use, while local gardeners will continue to care for the evolving landscape.
Two illuminated buoy sculptures, act as playful wayfinding markers that reference Camden’s spirit of exploration.
The project is a celebration of local collaboration: The Castlehaven Community Association leads outreach, engagement, and care of the planting and Camden-based Fallen and Felled supplied and fabricated the timber seating, while Wilkinson & Rivera crafted the wooden hives.
Community and Cultural Programming
Accompanying the installation is a seasonal programme of events that celebrates Camden’s global community and traditions.
Additional community-led events will be supported through an open application process, ensuring the space remains active, inclusive, and responsive to local voices.
A People-Centred Approach to Regeneration
The Camden subSTRATUM installation is part of the council’s broader strategy for culturally led regeneration, testing how design, creativity and community programming can shape a more welcoming, sustainable, and human-centred high street.
The insights gathered during the pedestrianisation trial will help inform long-term improvements to Camden High Street and the wider public realm, ensuring future development reflects the borough’s creative energy and community spirit.
Additional Information
- The planting scheme features drought-tolerant, edible and aromatic species planted seasonally to sustain pollinators and local wildlife. Recycled materials enhance drainage and reduce water use, while local gardeners will continue to care for the evolving landscape.
- The wayfinding buoys are supported by hand-carved oak and topped with solar-powered lights, which doubles as a bee habitat, merging design, ecology and craft.
- The programme events will feature a series of seasonal activations.
- Through community engagement and participation, a sensory map has been developed that invites residents and visitors to explore the greenery and wildlife that forms Camden's ecosystem and shows the subSTRATUM installation as part of a wider network of green and blue spaces.