Canada Water | Placemaking Strategy

London, 2016

Canada Water is now one of London's most significant regeneration success stories. In 2016, working with developer Sellar, the area faced a real perception challenge — a location with significant potential that needed to attract residents, businesses and the broader community before the wider development arrived.

I developed a comprehensive placemaking and activation strategy for the masterplan mixed-use site, covering community engagement, stakeholder management across local groups, adjacent retailers and neighbouring developers, and a framework for how the area could build momentum and shift perception over time. The strategy involved significant stakeholder engagement to ensure the approach served multiple interests across the wider regeneration area.

One element of the strategy that came to life during my engagement was the activation of a disused on-site warehouse as a community space and street food business incubator. I brokered a partnership with Street Feast, London's leading street food market operator, creating a mutually beneficial arrangement that brought new audiences to the area while supporting emerging food businesses. The resulting night food market, Hawker House, launched to over 5,000 visitors on opening weekend and continued operating for several years beyond its intended timeline.

Placemaking & partnership strategy · Regeneration