THE (Connected) GREAT (Green) PARK (Play) ESTATE
BPTW with: Farrer Huxley, Julie Futcher, Arup, and Play Disrupt
Our proposal responds to Building Play into Housing by introducing a playable, climate-resilient landscape within a sequence of post-war housing estates. This unlocks connectivity, revitalizes the public realm, restores nature, mitigates climate impacts, and naturally integrates play into everyday life.
We propose THE (Connected) GREAT (Green) PARK (Play) ESTATE, a linear park woven through a sequence of estates in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe as a test site for our proposal. In areas where urban density is high and outdoor space is contested, play is often restricted, segregated or signposted out of existence. Instead of adding equipment over there, we remove barriers, consolidate cars and integrate play into the everyday fabric of housing.
Our approach brings together Play, Place, Climate Adaptation and Nature Restoration through a single landscape strategy. A patchwork of community-shaped green spaces connects doorsteps, courtyards and streets into a continuous park.
Trees provide shade and seasonal change. Swales and basins manage flood risk. Rewilded corridors restore habitat and biodiversity. This environmental infrastructure doubles as intergenerational play space.
Logs become gathering edges. Stones invite movement and playful jumping. Shallow basins enable boat races after heavy rain. Pathways support recreational cycling and social encounters. Follies provide shade, places for pause and informal meeting. Rather than prescribing activity, the landscape offers loose, natural elements that encourage imagination, freedom and collective ownership.
Tested on a real urban condition, our methodology demonstrates how post-war housing estates can become safe, joyful and climate-responsive environments where play is embedded into daily routines and shared across generations.
Team
Dr Ana McMillin, Urban Design and Architecture, Project Lead, BPTW
Mareike Menzel, Landscape Design, Farrer Huxley
Dr Julie Futcher, Climate and Sustainability Adviser
Manon Dangelser, Engineering, Arup
Malcolm Hamilton, Play and Engagement Consultancy, Play Disrupt