Exchange Square marked a significant milestone in a seven-year collaboration between London-based practice, DSDHA, and its client. 

Suspended above the tracks of Liverpool Street Station and within Broadgate Exchange Square, this public park campus is the largest pedestrianised public realm in Central London. 

Existing site challenges 

The site had been developed in the 1990s. It comprised a central lawn area that was popular with people who used the space. However, the large, curved feature wall on the western boundary to the lawn created a significant barrier within the square, as well as restricting visual permeability.  

On the northern edge, steps led up to Exchange House and provided generous seating, but the extensive use of pink granite appeared monotonous. Level changes across the square were addressed through various ramps and other stairs, creating barriers to access. 

Signage was poor throughout the space and entrances to the square lacked legibility. 

The park addresses issues of accessibility and permeability by celebrating the various gateways into the area.

A responsive mixed-use amenity 

Exchange Square established a new mixed-use amenity for the city. Reimagined as a bucolic landscape and generously planted green space, it was designed with inclusivity and accessibility at its heart. 

Blending recreational areas with informal, open-air working facilities and retail units, the square encourages a variety of potential uses and activities at different times of the day.  

It extended the dwelling time beyond working hours and helped Broadgate become more receptive to the needs of a wider variety of people, from its local offices and shop workers to the residents of neighbouring boroughs.

Lighting and clear sightlines across the park, from all borders, allow users to feel safer when crossing alone or at night.

A nurturing landscape 

Well-being, inclusivity and permeability were vital considerations throughout the design process. It was driven by the ambition to create a vibrant space that encouraged engagement and interactivity, offering a respite from the onslaught of commuters and the noise of Bishopsgate.  

The 1,5-acre park provides a four-fold increase in planting from its previous state, with a 600% increase in biodiversity, and 25% of the area features accessible green space.  

An on-site gardener encourages continual learning, offering opportunities for inquiries and involvement from the wider public, whilst maintaining the square.  

Exchange Park allows visitors to find a tranquil space in the city.

Embracing diversity 

Engagement with tenants revealed the desire for a less corporate environment with more flexibility for temporary uses, resulting in a more diverse group of people being encouraged to use the space, such as for a community, Open Iftar, celebrating Ramadan. 

The space is more flexible for temporary uses, such as a community, Open Iftar, for celebrating Ramadan.

Improved movement 

DSDHA sought to address issues of accessibility and permeability by celebrating the various gateways into the park. A comprehensive analysis of pedestrian movement helped to identify barriers to access: 

• Steps. 
• Changes in level. 
• Lack of visual contrast and changes in tactility. 
• Poor signage. 

This informed the response of unfolding the space across several levels to create gently sloping routes that allow wheelchair and pushchair access across and through the whole site.  

Legible material differences at changes in level support neurodiverse users, and clear sightlines across the park from all borders allow users to feel safer when crossing alone or at night. 

The intervention successfully transformed the public spaces surrounding one of the United Kingdom’s busiest stations. 

Project details 

Architects: DSDHA.  

Area: 6 000m². 

Year: 2022. 

Photographs: Daniel Fisher, Jim Stephenson. 

Horticulture: FFLO. 

Project manager: Stace Project Management. 

Structural engineer: Arup. 

Planning consultant: DP9. 

General contractor: Maylim. 

Country: United Kingdom. 

Full acknowledgement and thanks go to www.archdaily.com for the information in this article.