The rejuvenation of Whitfield Gardens is completed
The rejuvenation of Whitfield Gardens is now complete, marking further significant progress in the West End Project.
The newly designed garden forms part of the biggest council-led public realm and transport scheme the borough has ever seen. The West End Project is addressing traffic congestion, road safety, poor air quality and the fact that this area has previously had less than the Camden average of public open space.
“The improvements to Whitfield Gardens, in parallel with the restoration of the iconic Fitzrovia Mural and the memorial mark another milestone towards the completion of the West End Project.
“This green space is loved by many and is an important and much used location in this part of the borough. We are very proud of the work, which demonstrates our commitment to making beautiful, safe and usable public spaces that everyone can enjoy.”
Work undertaken to revive this much cherished local space, included a planting scheme that thrives in shady locations, plus better accessibility as the gardens now allow visitors to cross easily between Tottenham Court Road and Whitfield Street/Tottenham Street. The new square provides space for people to stop and enjoy as well as a space for future events.
Councillor Harrison continued:
“The restoration of the Fitzrovia mural is an important part of the West End Project and I’m delighted with the end result.
“This local landmark had sadly been showing its age in recent years and this faithful restoration has brought it back to the vibrant best it deserves to be enjoyed in its full glory and also complemented by the works undertaken on the gardens.
“Caring for our local heritage has been a key part of this garden restoration and the design highlights the history of the space.
“We have worked with specialist stone restorers Stonewest to restore the memorial which sits within the park and specially matched granite from Italy has been carefully crafted to repair damage.
“I would like to extend my thanks to the local community for their patience during these works, especially during the initial lockdown period.”
Greening the area is an integral part of the West End Project. As well as the improved Whitfield Gardens, the project will see new pocket parks along Tottenham Court Road, the transformation of Princes Circus in Holborn, and the creation at Alfred Place of a totally new park in place of a road. Alfred Place will be the first new green space for this part of the borough in a quarter of a century, innovatively turning road space into green space.
For more information about the West End Project visit the website or email: [email protected]
Idverde, who undertook the work on Whitfield Gardens, said: “We are delighted to have played an integral part to the transformation of Whitfield Gardens which has brought this much loved space to life with a new urban square and garden below the statuesque Plane trees.
“The introduction of raised planters filled with diverse planting provides interest and refuge for biodiversity and the introduction of new surfacing and furniture throughout has created an improved destination overlooked by the iconic Fitzrovia Mural.
“The completion of the project represents the dedication and hard work by our project team and supply chain to deliver the works in testing times through the coronavirus pandemic. We look forward to handing the completed gardens over the local residents, business and visitors to enjoy for years to come.”
Sophie Thompson, Director of LDA, who created the designs for Whitfield Gardens, said: “When we first listened to the community there was a strong desire to create a safer, more welcoming and sociable green space.
“Through the introduction of attractive and biodiverse planting, pop-up power and movable furniture for events, a restored Fitzrovia mural, long table dining and comfortable seating, we really hope that everyone can enjoy Whitfield Gardens again.
“We are absolutely delighted to re-open this cherished garden and square for the benefit of residents, workers and visitors. Now more than ever London needs safe, attractive, and inclusive green spaces that can offer a place to come together to sit, socialise and experience nature.”
Lee Bofkin, CEO and Co-founder of Global Street Art, who restored the Fitzrovia mural said: “It's been an honour for Global Street Art to work alongside Camden Council to restore this historic mural. We have investigated many information sources to assess how the mural would have looked when it was first painted. By recreating the mural from scratch, replacing all of the old render, we hope the new mural lasts at least another forty years.”