A placemaking strategy to unite a community and incubate foodie start-ups

Regeneration Development | Placemaking Strategy

London, 2016

Working with regeneration developer Sellar, Projects of Place created a placemaking strategy for a misunderstood London location that needed to attract new audiences—potential residents, businesses, and the broader community. The challenge was to shift perception and demonstrate the area's viability as a place to live and work.

The strategy centered on activating a disused warehouse on-site as both a community meeting place and street food business incubator. We brokered a partnership with Street Feast, London's leading street food market operator, creating a mutually beneficial arrangement that would draw crowds while supporting emerging food businesses. Stakeholder engagement was critical—we worked with local community groups, adjacent retailers, and neighboring regeneration developers to ensure the activation served multiple interests and created momentum across the wider area.

The night food market, Hawker House, launched to over 5,000 visitors on opening weekend and proved so successful it continued operating for several years beyond its intended timeline. The activation achieved its strategic goal: the area became recognized as a desirable destination, perception shifted among Londoners, and dozens of start-up food businesses gained a launching pad through Street Feast's supportive model.