A new pavilion and performance space has been installed in a temporary public garden in Camden, co-designed by young people in collaboration with social enterprise MATT+FIONA and Fitzrovia Youth in Action. The six-metre-tall structure, called ‘Reflect’, is intended as a focal point for the space
A new public pavilion, designed in collaboration with young people, has been installed in a temporary green space created by HS2 in Camden. The structure, named ‘Reflect’, was developed through a youth-led co-design process led by social enterprise MATT+FIONA in partnership with Fitzrovia Youth in Action, a local charity.
The site, previously occupied by the National Temperance Hospital, is one of several plots in the Euston area designated for temporary use by HS2. This garden is the only one in the series to have been co-designed with local young people and the community.
The project follows a community engagement programme on the Regent’s Park Estate, which identified a need for recreational and safe green spaces for young people. Forty-eight participants initially contributed ideas, with a core group of 18 young placemakers developing the final design over 12 weeks. The structure was fabricated by the young designers during a practical workshop at the Euston Skills Centre.
Ellie Rudd, youth leadership and Regent’s Park community champions manager at Fitzrovia Youth in Action, said: “It has been really exciting to see a renewed commitment to youth-led decision making and co-production, in not only planning and design, but also in the physical creation of this meanwhile-use space.”
Rising six metres, the structure comprises a blue timber stage with seating and has been designed to accommodate wheelchair users. It incorporates steel, timber, and stainless steel, with shaped panels fabricated by the young participants. The upper section features mirrored surfaces intended to create visual effects, reflecting performers back to the audience.
Matthew Springett, director at MATT+FIONA, said: “The youth-led co-design process for this project brought the design ideas and vision for a new playable landscape to the fore. This unique project demonstrates the true value that comes from trusting young people to contribute to the shaping of the public spaces that we all share.”
The wider garden has been designed by LDA Design and includes a maze of long grasses, parterre gardens, and naturalistic planting aimed at increasing biodiversity. The design also reuses material from the former construction site, integrating the concrete foundation slabs of the HS2 compound into the landscape.
Dafydd Warburton, design director and project lead at LDA Design, said: “We wanted to create a fun but also high-quality space, reusing and recycling wherever possible.”
The pavilion is intended to be relocated to the Regent’s Park Estate when the site is redeveloped as part of HS2’s masterplan.
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