Marketplaces are one of the most lively and magnetic spaces in the cityscape. They play a significant role in the history of the development of London, especially in the ‘long’ 18th century. Marketplaces have passed the test of time, reflecting on the socio-economic and urban changes and are still in use nowadays, to quote Ken Jones “we are what we consume, and our consumption priorities describe our society”. What makes them so successful is their inclusivity and the ability to accommodate the changes in the fast-paced urban environment.
The changes the 21st-century cities are facing need urgent response. They have to densify in order to accommodate the growing urban population, the new developments bring an additional layer of the threat of the homogenisation and detachment of the new inhabitants from the public realm, as well as gentrification and connected with that relocation of locally established communities. The research analyses the inherent qualities and the essence of marketplaces and searches for similar characteristics in other places in the city, and theoretical works to propose an overview of possibilities to create public spaces that are responsive and inclusive towards their current and new inhabitants.
Firstly, the paper analyses the past and present state of retail in London with a concentration on retail markets, learning how they operate, what traits they represent, and what role they play in the city. Further investigation looks at the importance of those places for local communities and the ways it is manifested, as well as examples of both successful and failed regenerations of the public realm concerned with community values. Understanding them showcases the ways of possibility to go against the current of changes
proposed by the new developments. Lastly, theoretical references showcase how did the designers previously approach the topics and unique, combined characteristics of the marketplaces that came to light during the previous analyses. This comprehensive analysis creates an overview of the possibilities in the designer’s vocabulary to respond to the fast-paced changes in the urban environment.
The research serves as a base for a design project for a neighbourhood public space in the borough of Tower Hamlets. The proposal highlights the values of the existing community and looks into ways to combine them with the new developments in the neighbourhood. The design combines the reuse of existing buildings in a post-industrial context as well as proposing a new development for the neighbourhood.