Francesca Taplin — Active Cities

Graduation year — 2021

Email — francesca.taplin@the-LSA.org

Tutors — Jesper Henriksson & Akari Takebayashi

Location — Stamford Hill, London Borough of Hackney

Objective —

To establish a set of spatial conditions that integrate both formal forms of exercise such as playing a sport as part of a team, and informal everyday movement such as playing or walking, into the everyday lives of the residents of Stamford Hill. The project focuses on the higher than average proportion of children in the area, yet is a cross-generational facility accessible to the entire neighbourhood.

Motivation —

In Hackney, 32 percent of adults and 58 percent of children do not achieve the activity levels recommended by the NHS for a healthy life. Furthermore, participation is not equal across our society; factors such as ethnicity, gender or socio-economic group all influence how much we exercise, with the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups participating the least. As the population of Hackney grows, an opportunity presents itself to propose a new, localised typology, which encourages a higher degree of movement in residents everyday lives.

Strategy —

The project operates across the urban and building scale and integrates informal forms of movement into everyday routines. On an urban scale, the project focuses on enhancing existing external facilities, providing new ones and creating green corridors and play routes, encouraging active travel through the neighbourhood. The built proposal unites a community centre, GP surgery and both formal and informal sports facilities to form a new, localised architecture for physical activity and a central urban square for the community to gather.

Impact —

By dispersing opportunities to move across the neighbourhood, staying active becomes an integrated part of people’s daily routines, encouraging the community to lead more active lives. The built proposal is the epicentre of movement, whilst simultaneously providing the intimacy for a strong community.