Londonist has seen a few parks and gardens recently, what, with our recent visit to 40 of them in two days. So we've been eagerly awaiting news of the proposed redevelopment of Jubilee Gardens (that's the big empty lawn next to the London Eye). Today, the winner of a four-way contest was announced. After much public consultation, the judges have awarded the contract to landscape architects West 8.
At first glance, the designs hardly seem radical:
"In the opinion of local people, West 8 excelled across the board, with particular strengths at incorporating trees, seating and grass areas into the design."
Gosh, who'd have thought of including those. But read further, and we’re promised soft, undulating hills and 'botanical ambience'. The pictures also hint at subterranean alcoves of some kind and, at night,
"a theatrical spectacle of light will subtly animate and play with the new weaving landscape."
The new park will be a further draw for the dense, coagulated soup of tourists the area attracts (especially if the nearby 'South Bank Beach' ever emerges from the Thames and the red tape). With the London Eye and the 26-storey Shell tower overlooking the site, though, we wouldn’t recommend any topless sunbathing.
