London’s Future Is East
Here’s how East London history is facing its futuristic destiny.
Image courtesy of Una Lote Andzane.
Strolling around Stratford is like walking around a construction site. Wherever you look, there are men dressed in hi vis vests carrying out arduous building works or eating takeaway sandwiches for lunch. No matter where you turn, there are at least five sky-high cranes in sight, and bird songs mix softly with loud thudding sounds coming from the buildings under construction. The face of East London continues to change right before our eyes. Where is it at now and what does the future hold?
"Our vision is to take what was the Olympic site in 2012 and build a new piece of city for the future,” says Francesca Colloca, head of innovation at London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), the organisation leading the regeneration of East London. The project, worth more than £12 billion, is one of Europe’s largest redevelopment projects to date. While the ten years might have whizzed by in the blink of an eye, the legacy of the Olympics is still felt in every corner of Stratford – be it the grandiose sports venues specifically constructed for the games or the makeshift walls shielding all construction sites, adorned with infographics about the rich legacy and the exciting future of this neighbourhood.
Image courtesy of Una Lote Andzane.
“Industrial, centred around water and trade, significant areas of deprivation contrasted with significant investment, and proud to be different,” is how architect Olivia Jackson from HLM Architects describes East London’s architecture. The changing face of the area intrigues both local residents and Londoners from other boroughs who wander around and examine the latest developments around a plethora of building sites.
The most striking of all is the ambitious East Bank project taking shape opposite the West Ham stadium. When it begins to open up in 2022, the cultural and educational district will become the new home of two internationally renowned universities, London College of Fashion and University College London, as well as world-class cultural institutions the BBC, Sadler’s Wells, and the V&A. Such an infusion of creativity, innovation, expertise, research, and excellence is bound to shape the identity of Stratford, and only time will tell how this monumental relocation will affect the local communities.
Image courtesy of Una Lote Andzane.
Viv Murinde, head of inclusive growth and skills at LLDC, explains: “A large part of our work is ensuring that all the opportunities that arise from the developments on the park benefit the local people.” Besides managing the venues and the park, building new housing and schools, developing neighbourhoods and business districts, LLDC is also responsible for enhancing the social and economic fabric of the four boroughs that make up the Olympic Park – Newham, Hackney, Tower Hamlets, and Waltham Forest.
The development of the Olympic Park has presented many new job opportunities for the locals over the years. At the start, LLDC’s skills and employment program was focused on construction work and getting the park built. Now, that focus has shifted more towards the creative and tech industries, which are emerging most notably in the creative hub that is Hackney Wick.
Image courtesy of Una Lote Andzane.
As you walk past the Good Growth Hub, LLDC’s event space, and across the canal into Hackney Wick, the mood suddenly changes. Gone are the impressive yet somewhat cold buildings of Stratford, and in front of me sits a tiny sandwich truck, surrounded by a bunch of locals who have popped out for lunch. Perched beside a wall of a graffiti painting in explosive colours, the sense of community is evident in the way people are unhurriedly enjoying their coffee break.
The surrounding buildings seem to echo the same feeling – that of something familiar, calm, and heart-warming. When asked about the importance of preserving cultural and historical heritage in terms of architecture, Olivia Jackson makes her point clear: “We should never rewrite the story but add to it in a sensitive manner which allows heritage to become a part of our future.” Architect Christopher Bentley from HLM Architects suggests that “the charm of the area is in the reuse of its industrial units.” The notions of repurposing and implementing a circular economy are becoming increasingly crucial in the age of the climate emergency.
Image courtesy of Una Lote Andzane.
The days when being sustainable and eco-friendly was optional are long behind us. “The physical impacts of climate change are already happening,” warns John Inglis, head of net zero at housing developer Get Living, based in Stratford’s East Village. “We can’t just wait around for December 2049; we need to set targets along the way.” Sustainability is one of the key drivers behind the regeneration of East London.
While the Park is open to both public and private investors and partners, all of them must comply with the strict sustainability criteria that underpins any project in the area. “In a place like the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, there's a real responsibility to ensure that sustainability is built into everything that we do because we are doing this on behalf of the public,” explains Francesca Colloca. However, working in the public sector can be quite tricky as it is impossible to satisfy everybody’s needs and desires.
Image courtesy of Una Lote Andzane.
“The thing with regeneration and change is that there's always going to be an impact,” says Colloca. “Our job is to make sure that it's mitigated and that we support the communities here.” While the contrast between the old and the new in East London appears astronomical at times, overall, the legacy of the Olympics has been handled skilfully. “This has been managed very well as new mixed-tenure communities have been bedded in and extended through successful placemaking. The Park is a very successful public amenity space which forms a setting for the sports facilities as well as a new heart for the residential and cultural community in Stratford,” says Brian Cody, architect at HLM Architects.
Image courtesy of Una Lote Andzane.
As for the future, Cody hopes that East London will serve as an example for other parts of the city that are up next in line for redevelopment. “For example, the adaptive re-use of existing heritage or industrial buildings, the provision of a variety of scales of building and successful placemaking through good quality landscaping and public realm.” A redevelopment of this scale can provide insight not only into navigating the design and construction process, but also how to compromise with local communities.
So now what? It is undeniable that East London will soon become one of London’s most vibrant and exciting parts. In the meantime, why don’t you hop on the Overground and take a look yourself?