I have become interested in the issue of street design because of the forthcoming redesign of, first, Savile Row and then Cork Street and, one day I hope, Burlington Gardens. In London, the design of the street is the province of the traffic engineer, creating diagrams of effective circulation, based normally on tarmac. But in Basel, Lampugnani has experimented with a more classical order, low pavements so that they are not too obviously differentiated from the design of the street (and good for wheelchairs too), and good use of materials (Sardinian granite). I asked what the literature is on street design. Apparently it’s mostly nineteenth century.
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
Excellent idea. Ideally it’s the job of an architect : Richard Rogers and I, in A NEW LONDON, trailed his plans for redesigning the pavements in Trafalgar Square, in Hoxton and along the River in a new Riverside Park. Richard’s daughter in law, Lucy Musgrave, a good architect herself, with her company, Publica, is doing a master plan for the new Community Council in Queen’s Park.
Yes, and she’s already done a study of Hanover Square and I hope our area to come. She seems to be the one person who does understand these issues and how they lie in the detail. Charles
Hooray for your interest! This would be a wonderful RA project if you could take it on – perhaps growing out from its immediate neighbourhood as you suggest, involving as wide a network of interests as possible. There are still too many spaces in central London which deserve far more thoughtful treatment from the pedestrian’s perspective.
Glad it’s hit a chord. I’ve been frustrated that everyone realises that the redesign of Mount Street has been a great success, but there is not much analysis as to why, nor an aspiration to apply the lessons more widely. Charles
Me too. Of course I adore wide expanses of massive York stone slabs laid in pavement bond, but I do like what’s been done from Thurloe St to Exhibition Road. Hope you agree. Just a bit of a shame about reconstituted stone. Why? We’re still guzzling oil, but this whole world was made of solid stone last time I looked. C.
David French is absolutely right : this would be a really important and useful project for the Academy. It has the best architects in the country. And, led by David Chipperfield (?), could usefully set up a Group to brainstorm this and produce a Discourse that could take forward thinking, and practice, in cities, not just in the UK.