YEAR IN REVIEW 2020
―
Season’s greetings to you, our collaborators!
It would be unnatural for us to start our Year In Review of 2020 without reflecting on the profound change it has brought about. As an organisation, we’ve faced countless instances that have required us to change course. As colleagues, we’ve adapted to new ways of communicating and working. As Londoners, we’ve seen our city close down and become a completely different environment, and as people, we’ve witnessed, supported, protested and learned, as longstanding injustices engrained in political, social and physical landscapes the world over were finally thrown into question.
This year, to say the least, has truly had it all. But to mark the end of it, we want to take this opportunity to share with you, as a team, the highlights that have permeated the past 12 months. From widening our international community of collaborators, to successes closer to home; and from personal triumphs on the team, to new initiatives – here’s our review of 2020.
Oxford Street District / GLA Policies / Public Life / Pennine Lancashire Linear Park / Society of London Theatre / Supporting London’s Covid Response / Kensington High Street / Panels / International Projects / Lecture Series / The Publica Team
· 1 of 11 ·
OXFORD STREET DISTRICT
―
In July, Publica was appointed by Westminster City Council as Design Guardian for the Oxford Street District, the UK’s most important shopping district and a major international tourist destination.
This is a new specialist advisory role, which embeds design quality and supports the holistic delivery of the Council’s ambitious plans to reinvent the district for the future. We are privileged to be working directly with the Council on a spectrum of projects and initiatives across the district.
This month saw the launch of our new brand identity and website for the District – keep an eye on osd.london for updates in the new year.
· 2 of 11 ·
GLA Policies
―
Covid-19 has had an unprecedented effect on the world as we know it. In turn, our projects adapted to include guidance on the public realm looking towards a post-pandemic future.
Research we produced as part of the Mayor Of London’s Good Growth by Design programme found an entirely new relevance in terms of its influence on the post-Covid landscape.
The ‘Making London Child-Friendly’ report will become increasingly important as the capital begins to recover from the past nine months, while the ‘Developing a Night Time Strategy: Guidance on Process’ report adapted to include a section specifically offering post-Covid guidance for local authorities, and how they can play a role in supporting the reopening of the night time economy.
· 3 of 11 ·
Public Life
―
Publica have been studying the social life of communities, well-being and quality of life for a number of commissions this year.
We were appointed by Lendlease to develop an ambitious Public Life Strategy for Euston. Careful study of existing places of public life, from the mainline stations and major institutions, to the residential estates and local high streets, informed a strategy with the purpose of integrating Euston’s present and future to the benefit of all.
Publica was appointed to undertake a literature review for the Quality of Life Foundation addressing the link between quality of life and the built environment. The aim of the review was to identify key themes and pathways through which the buildings, communities and neighbourhoods where people live and work might better support quality of life. See the report here.
· 4 of 11 ·
Pennine Lancashire Linear Park
―
This year we worked in Pennine Lancashire, where we developed a vision and feasibility study for the future of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal corridor. The study was commissioned by Super Slow Way, an arts commissioning programme based in Pennine Lancashire, in partnership with the Canal and River Trust, Lancashire County Council, Creative Lancashire and Arts Council England.
Working with Buro Happold’s economic team, the study illustrates a vision for green, healthy and resilient futures through the unlocking of the potential of the 37-kilometre Canal corridor and sets out the level of required investment and the potential socio-economic benefits of the project.
· 5 of 11 ·
Society of London TheatrE
―
Theatres are a vital part of our social and cultural heritage but are at real risk due to Covid-19.
We worked on an advocacy document commissioned by Society of London Theatre to help secure the future of cultural heritage that has been part of London’s identity for over 350 years. Theatres have been among the hardest hit during the pandemic, and we hope this advice and guidance supports their recovery and long-term prosperity.
· 6 of 11 ·
Supporting London's covid response
―
As Mayoral Design Advocate, Lucy Musgrave was invited to join the Mayor of London’s Good Growth by Design Roundtables series this summer, taking part in discussions titled High Streets and Town Centres, Child-Friendly City and Public London. Lucy is also on the Mayor’s sounding board for Public London Charter, regarding the rights and responsibilities for the users, owners and managers of public spaces. The roundtable sessions addressed challenges caused by the ongoing pandemic, but also the opportunities to provide long-term benefits in London’s built environment.
We were also honoured to contribute to the Lord Mayor of the City of London’s Culture and Commerce Task Force.
· 7 of 11 ·
kensington High Street
―
We were commissioned by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to develop a scoping report as a first step towards developing a long-term vision and strategy for the future of Kensington High Street, setting out how a collaborative, community-led approach can strengthen the High Street’s role as a local town centre at the heart of a walkable neighbourhood.
Launching in early 2021, Publica has also designed a visual identity and package of short-term interventions for the High Street to support its recovery post 2020.
· 8 of 11 ·
Panels
―
Virtual panel discussions have become very much the norm this year. Anna Mansfield took part in a discussion for the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which focused on the role of material and immaterial play in the context of design. Lucy Musgrave joined the panel for a virtual event by Movers & Shakers to discuss the public realm, place-shaping and the role of design as we tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of the Loneliness Lab initiative, Projects Director Lucy Pritchard took part in a discussion that explored how design can be used to tackle loneliness in our cities and communities, and Lucy Musgrave spoke at the ‘15 Years of Public Realm’ webinar, hosted by New London Architecture. Lucy also spoke at the National Infrastructure Commission's Cities programme event in Bristol, Glasgow's Connecting Communities programme and the launch event for the West Midlands new Design Charter.
· 9 of 11 ·
INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
―
While we may not have been able to travel for much of this year, save one trip to Hamburg to present our research into civic urbanism to the Senator for Urban Development, our international projects have still taken us far and wide. Our work was featured in an exhibition in Berlin. We have been working with White Arkitekter advising the city of Malmö and speaking in Beijing about the significance of phenomenology at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology.
In Italy, we worked with UCL’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose to create the visual identity for the ‘Mission Italia’ report that was later presented to the Italian Government.
· 10 of 11 ·
Lecture Series
―
At the beginning of the year, we launched an internal lecture series titled ‘...And the City’, where we invite guests to discuss their unique experiences of working within our cities. The project kicked off with ‘Time and the City’ with Professor Philip Christou, followed by Pam Orchard from The Connection at St. Martin’s with ‘Sox and the City’.
In lockdown, the programme continued on virtually, with ‘Wildlife and the City’ led by Catherine du Toit, ‘Specs and the City’ with Publica’s Principal Projects Director, Victoria Jessen-Pike and ‘Displacement and the City’ with Publica’s Managing Director, Robert Mull.
In the new year we're looking forward to more lectures from the team with Projects Director, Lucy Pritchard entitled ‘Land and the City’ and our Associate Director of Night-time and Lighting, Satu Streatfield with ‘Scenography and the City’.
· 11 of 11 ·
The Publica Team
―
Nestled amongst the challenges of 2020 was Publica’s 10th birthday, and as such, we spent a great deal of time reflecting on our journey over the past decade. With plans for a physical celebration scuppered, we instead toasted with a virtual drink.
Outside of the studio we’ve been busy volunteering and mentoring. We’re also pleased to be supporting Pooja Agrawal and Joseph Henry’s Sound Advice crowdfunding campaign for a new publication titled Now You Know, which brings together a collection of 50 reflections from architects and urbanists of colour addressing spatial inequality and discrimination in the built environment industry.
Our charitable contributions this year went to Centrepoint, which, for over 50 years has housed and supported the UK’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people.
Thank you for making it possible.
We couldn’t have done it without our collaborators, clients and friends.
YEAR IN REVIEW 2020
Season’s greetings to you, our collaborators!
It would be unnatural for us to start our Year In Review of 2020 without reflecting on the profound change it has brought about. As an organisation, we’ve faced countless instances that have required us to change course. As colleagues, we’ve adapted to new ways of communicating and working. As Londoners, we’ve seen our city close down and become a completely different environment, and as people, we’ve witnessed, supported, protested and learned, as longstanding injustices engrained in political, social and physical landscapes the world over were finally thrown into question.
This year, to say the least, has truly had it all. But to mark the end of it, we want to take this opportunity to share with you, as a team, the highlights that have permeated the past 12 months. From widening our international community of collaborators, to successes closer to home; and from personal triumphs on the team, to new initiatives – here’s our review of 2020.
· 1 of 11 ·
OXFORD STREET DISTRICT
―
In July, Publica was appointed by Westminster City Council as Design Guardian for the Oxford Street District, the UK’s most important shopping district and a major international tourist destination.
This is a new specialist advisory role, which embeds design quality and supports the holistic delivery of the Council’s ambitious plans to reinvent the district for the future. We are privileged to be working directly with the Council on a spectrum of projects and initiatives across the district.
This month saw the launch of our new brand identity and website for the District – keep an eye on osd.london for updates in the new year.
· 2 of 11 ·
GLA Policies
―
Covid-19 has had an unprecedented effect on the world as we know it. In turn, our projects adapted to include guidance on the public realm looking towards a post-pandemic future.
Research we produced as part of the Mayor Of London’s Good Growth by Design programme found an entirely new relevance in terms of its influence on the post-Covid landscape.
The ‘Making London Child-Friendly’ report will become increasingly important as the capital begins to recover from the past nine months, while the ‘Developing a Night Time Strategy: Guidance on Process’ report adapted to include a section specifically offering post-Covid guidance for local authorities, and how they can play a role in supporting the reopening of the night time economy.
· 3 of 11 ·
Public Life
―
Publica have been studying the social life of communities, well-being and quality of life for a number of commissions this year.
We were appointed by Lendlease to develop an ambitious Public Life Strategy for Euston. Careful study of existing places of public life, from the mainline stations and major institutions, to the residential estates and local high streets, informed a strategy with the purpose of integrating Euston’s present and future to the benefit of all.
Publica was appointed to undertake a literature review for the Quality of Life Foundation addressing the link between quality of life and the built environment. The aim of the review was to identify key themes and pathways through which the buildings, communities and neighbourhoods where people live and work might better support quality of life. See the report here.
· 4 of 11 ·
Pennine Lancashire Linear Park
―
This year we worked in Pennine Lancashire, where we developed a vision and feasibility study for the future of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal corridor. The study was commissioned by Super Slow Way, an arts commissioning programme based in Pennine Lancashire, in partnership with the Canal and River Trust, Lancashire County Council, Creative Lancashire and Arts Council England.
Working with Buro Happold’s economic team, the study illustrates a vision for green, healthy and resilient futures through the unlocking of the potential of the 37-kilometre Canal corridor and sets out the level of required investment and the potential socio-economic benefits of the project.
· 5 of 11 ·
Society of London TheatrE
―
Theatres are a vital part of our social and cultural heritage but are at real risk due to Covid-19.
We worked on an advocacy document commissioned by Society of London Theatre to help secure the future of cultural heritage that has been part of London’s identity for over 350 years. Theatres have been among the hardest hit during the pandemic, and we hope this advice and guidance supports their recovery and long-term prosperity.
· 6 of 11 ·
Supporting London's covid response
―
As Mayoral Design Advocate, Lucy Musgrave was invited to join the Mayor of London’s Good Growth by Design Roundtables series this summer, taking part in discussions titled High Streets and Town Centres, Child-Friendly City and Public London. Lucy is also on the Mayor’s sounding board for Public London Charter, regarding the rights and responsibilities for the users, owners and managers of public spaces. The roundtable sessions addressed challenges caused by the ongoing pandemic, but also the opportunities to provide long-term benefits in London’s built environment.
We were also honoured to contribute to the Lord Mayor of the City of London’s Culture and Commerce Task Force.
· 7 of 11 ·
kensington High Street
―
We were commissioned by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to develop a scoping report as a first step towards developing a long-term vision and strategy for the future of Kensington High Street, setting out how a collaborative, community-led approach can strengthen the High Street’s role as a local town centre at the heart of a walkable neighbourhood.
Launching in early 2021, Publica has also designed a visual identity and package of short-term interventions for the High Street to support its recovery post 2020.
· 8 of 11 ·
Panels
―
Virtual panel discussions have become very much the norm this year. Anna Mansfield took part in a discussion for the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, which focused on the role of material and immaterial play in the context of design. Lucy Musgrave joined the panel for a virtual event by Movers & Shakers to discuss the public realm, place-shaping and the role of design as we tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of the Loneliness Lab initiative, Projects Director Lucy Pritchard took part in a discussion that explored how design can be used to tackle loneliness in our cities and communities, and Lucy Musgrave spoke at the ‘15 Years of Public Realm’ webinar, hosted by New London Architecture. Lucy also spoke at the National Infrastructure Commission's Cities programme event in Bristol, Glasgow's Connecting Communities programme and the launch event for the West Midlands new Design Charter.
· 9 of 11 ·
INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS
―
While we may not have been able to travel for much of this year, save one trip to Hamburg to present our research into civic urbanism to the Senator for Urban Development, our international projects have still taken us far and wide. Our work was featured in an exhibition in Berlin. We have been working with White Arkitekter advising the city of Malmö and speaking in Beijing about the significance of phenomenology at the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology.
In Italy, we worked with UCL’s Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose to create the visual identity for the ‘Mission Italia’ report that was later presented to the Italian Government.
· 10 of 11 ·
Lecture Series
―
At the beginning of the year, we launched an internal lecture series titled ‘...And the City’, where we invite guests to discuss their unique experiences of working within our cities. The project kicked off with ‘Time and the City’ with Professor Philip Christou, followed by Pam Orchard from The Connection at St. Martin’s with ‘Sox and the City’.
In lockdown, the programme continued on virtually, with ‘Wildlife and the City’ led by Catherine du Toit, ‘Specs and the City’ with Publica’s Principal Projects Director, Victoria Jessen-Pike and ‘Displacement and the City’ with Publica’s Managing Director, Robert Mull.
In the new year we're looking forward to more lectures from the team with Projects Director, Lucy Pritchard entitled ‘Land and the City’ and our Associate Director of Night-time and Lighting, Satu Streatfield with ‘Scenography and the City’.
· 11 of 11 ·
The Publica Team
―
Nestled amongst the challenges of 2020 was Publica’s 10th birthday, and as such, we spent a great deal of time reflecting on our journey over the past decade. With plans for a physical celebration scuppered, we instead toasted with a virtual drink.
Outside of the studio we’ve been busy volunteering and mentoring. We’re also pleased to be supporting Pooja Agrawal and Joseph Henry’s Sound Advice crowdfunding campaign for a new publication titled Now You Know, which brings together a collection of 50 reflections from architects and urbanists of colour addressing spatial inequality and discrimination in the built environment industry.
Our charitable contributions this year went to Centrepoint, which, for over 50 years has housed and supported the UK’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people.
Thank you for making it possible.
We couldn’t have done it without our collaborators, clients and friends.