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Aberfeldy – a case study of innovative engagement with young people In East London, young people are changing how design professionals approach regeneration. Dinah Bornat and Andrew Harland ZCD architects and LDA Design
At Aberfeldy Village, a joint venture between Poplar HARCA (Housing and Regeneration Community Association) and Ecoworld, community engagement over the new masterplan started with 100 pupils at local schools. A radical departure, given that teenagers rarely even feature in visualisations for new development.
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The existing Aberfeldy estate is boxed in between two busy main roads, the A12 and A13, and the River Lea. Regeneration will provide 1,500 new homes. The pupils were asked to write a manifesto for the neighbourhood, to help them critique the masterplan as it developed. They wanted a friendly place, one that would be easy to get around and give them more freedom. They wanted it to be green, and to work for all ages. Engagement is being led by ZCD Architects, working closely with the design team: LDA Design, Levitt Bernstein Architects and Morris and Company. Local walking tours, for both the primary school children and the
secondary school pupils, provided the design team with insight into their everyday lives. The young people said that given the chance they often preferred to be outside with friends rather than on screens, but a strong narrative emerged around safety. The ‘tunnels’ beneath the dual carriageway are strongly disliked, and some pupils are driven the short distance to school because of them. While many would like to cycle to school, only one person did. Even spaces which were liked during the day become unwelcoming after dark, as early as 4pm in the winter. This engagement has directly shaped design thinking. The walking tour showed that the young people stayed far closer to home than expected, which means that provision for them needs to be spread throughout the public realm, and they need inviting and safe circuits for walking and cycling to encourage them to explore and be more connected to their neighbourhoods. Estate regeneration will see the concrete vehicle underpass under the A12 transformed by colour and light and become a car-free route for pedestrians and cyclists which connects to green spaces. It will be a destination and landmark with social hang-out terraces, play areas, and a climbing wall, and be enlivened by a café, a bike workshop and workspaces.
1. Students from Langdon Park secondary school on walking tour of Aberfeldy © Thomas Graham
2. Students from Langdon Park secondary school completing worksheets in tunnel/ underpass, Poplar © Thomas Graham
3. Voice Opportunity Power - A toolkit to involve young people in the making and managing of the neighbourhood
