Happy Spaces

Kingston First BID and The Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames are leading on a public realm initiative to create inclusive happy spaces within the town centre for local residents, visitors and the business community to reconnect with people, place and nature.

Award-winning Kingston based Landscape Architects Davies White collaborating with The Edible Bus Stop were appointed to lead on the community engagement and to develop concept design proposals to transform Eagle Brewery Wharf on Kingston’s riverside and Memorial Gardens in the centre of the town. Our mission is to create green spaces that encourage social behaviour within them and to encourage well-being, social and cultural activities and acknowledge each sites’ historical significance.

From February to May 2021 members of the public, community groups, residents and local businesses shared their views on how to shape these spaces through a blended approach of online and COVID-19 safe in-person community engagements and events. We listened to the views of the representatives of local businesses, cultural institutions, Kingston Police alongside numerous community interest groups, taking particular care to consider local residents and the impact of the use of space nearby to them.

Using the insight and feedback gathered we identified the SWOTS - strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats - for each space. Design principles developed from these discussions were then employed to guide and shape the design proposals. These initial concept design proposals were then advanced following additional feedback.

Kingston First and Kingston Council will take the concept design proposals onto the next stage to secure funding to enable their implementation. This work will take place during the winter of 2021 with implementation planned for 2022.