Traffic and the increasing flow of bicycles are separated in an elegant transformation of an old roundabout into a pedestrian/cycle square. DSDHA write [we like the last sentence]: “DSDHA have completed Stockwell Square as the second phase of their Stockwell Framework Masterplan, following the success of Wilcox Road. A new bespoke Bus Stop Canopy on Binfield Road acted as a catalyst for the whole Masterplan, seeking to rebalance this busy traffic node in favour of pedestrians and cyclists. DSDHA’s Bus Stop is the first phase of a long term strategy to regenerate this infamous and poorly maintained part of the city, providing a new well-designed public realm that, by reducing the predominance of vehicles, will favour local business and offer the opportunity for the locals to gather and hold markets and occasional events. The shape of the Bus Stop’s canopy and its reflective surfaces demand attention. They act as a visual anchor, capturing the flow and movements at this busy interchange and turning it into a meeting space. They are purposely forceful, almost insisting that the passers-by lift their eyes from their smartphone screens and be present; aware of their surroundings. This attribute of the architecture might be referred to as ‘awkward’, but we see it as a contemporary form of beauty, obliging one to engage the senses in the here and now, feeling an emotional sentiment and acknowledgement of wider social issues.
see all images of this in the VIEW archive ©Dennis Gilbert
Stockwell War Memorial with bicycle lane. Stockwell Framework Masterplan, London, United Kingdom. Architect: DSDHA, 2017.
Bus shelter with senior citizen waiting. Binfield Road Bus Shelter, Stockwell Framework Masterplan, London, United Kingdom. Architect: DSDHA, 2015.
Stockwell War Memorial with bicycle lane. Stockwell Framework Masterplan, London, United Kingdom. Architect: DSDHA, 2017.