North audley street IMPROVEMENTS take shape

Greening and footway widening has been implemented as part of a wider ambition to fulfil the area's potential as an outdoor dining destination

Having been appointed by Grosvenor in 2020, Publica was tasked with exploring options and implementing a temporary scheme for North Audley Street that could support hospitality in the short term, while also building upon Grosvenor's vision for the area as a destination for outdoor dining. 

The proposal included the reduction of parking and loading and the widening of footways to allow restaurants to spill out onto the street.

Alongside the highways works, Publica worked with Landscape Architect Alexandra Noble to explore options for using greening to define outdoor dining "rooms" while enhancing the appearance of the street in an impactful way. It was decided that this would be achieved through large planters, which create a sense of arrival and make use of layers of greening that provide depth. 

All plants were selected to be robust, drought resistant, and to support pollinators such as hoverflies, bees and butterflies. Additional lighting installed in the planters and a series of seasonal Gobo projections were also implemented in order to help create ambience in the evening and nighttime.

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