Townshend Landscape Architects: Lewis Cubitt Park is one of the principal green spaces in the 72 acre King’s Cross redevelopment in London. The King’s Cross masterplan has been a collaboration by Allies and Morrison Architects, Porphyrios Associates and Townshend Landscape Architects. The masterplan identifies 40% of King’s Cross as open space, creating a vibrant tapestry of parks and squares. Lewis Cubitt Park along with Lewis Cubitt Square and the Coal Drops form a central spine through the northern area of the masterplan, creating a connection between Granary Square and the Regent’s Canal in the south and York Way to the north. These open spaces form an important framework around which further residential and commercial development will be emerging in the next few years.
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- © John Sturrock
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- © John Sturrock
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- © John Sturrock
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- © Townshend Landscape Architects
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- © John Sturrock
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- © John Sturrock
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- © John Sturrock
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- © John Sturrock
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- © John Sturrock
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- © Townshend Landscape Architects
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- © Townshend Landscape Architects
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- © Townshend Landscape Architects
The design of the park was inspired by the traditional London square, predominantly lawn with a sense of enclosure provided by tree planting of Lime (Tilia cordata), Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Oak (Quercus rubra), Cherry (Prunus serrula) and London Plane (Platanus acerifolia) trees, some single and some multi-stemmed. The lawn is gently sculpted to create sinuous landforms that flow through the space. Annual displays of spring flowering Crocus, followed by white Daffodils, emerge through the grass providing colour early in the year. A temporary art installation by Ooze, in the form of a natural bathing pond and planting, has been situated at the northern end of the park. Currently this is home to the King’s Cross Pond Club. The bathing pond is part of the Relay Arts Programme and is the final piece in a 3 year programme. Since the summer of opening, this new green oasis has been attracting families, students and the local community for children’s play, informal ball games, gatherings and picnics as well as events such as play-days, fitness sessions and food and drink festivals.
Data
Project: Lewis Cubitt Park
Landscape Architect: Townshend Landscape Architects
Design Team Leader: Robert Townshend, Martha Alker, Andrea Dates
Completed: 2015
Location: Lewis Cubitt Park, Handyside Street, King’s Cross, London, UK
Commissioned by: King’s Cross Central Limited Partnership
Area: 0.65 ha
