East London’s Old Street is a place that is renowned worldwide for its reputation as a haven for start-up businesses, its vibrant and eclectic energy and the creativity that lives there. However, Old Street roundabout is slightly terrifying for the likes of pedestrians and cyclists, in particular, which is why it was decided in December 2017 to regenerate the area to make it more pedestrian and bike friendly. This big plan is highly-anticipated to be a great thing for Tech City and it will benefit everyone who lives and works in and around the City Fringe.
An open request was called upon by Transport for London, Hackney and Islington Councils and the Mayor of London because they collectively wanted to utilise the local talent and creativity that Old Street is celebrated for. Approximately 100 submissions came through, which has now been cut down to just 39. This whole process has been developed with the public in mind, so local Londoners are going to be called upon to share their thoughts and feelings about the entries and the final decision will boil down to the verdict made by a judging panel, who will be taking the public opinion into consideration upon conclusion.
Each submission was required to take into consideration the introduction of a two-way traffic system following the removal of the roundabout, as well as a new public space and supplementary cycle lanes. A selection of architect giants, including Zaha Hadid Architects, AHMM and Coffey Architects have put forward their ideas and the official shortlist will be released next month. Finally, we are one step closer to seeing the de-congestion and transformation of Old Street Roundabout.
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