Normand ParkA community vision

Normand Park is a landmark local park for a varied community in west London. Since its renewal the park has become a focus for community pride. An innovative and high quality flexible space, the park offers choice for users in relaxation, active pursuits and play for all.

Three arts projects engaged community participation - Gayle Chong Kwan worked with children from local schools, writer Paul Shepheard explored memories of the area with older residents and Faisal Abdhul Allah led a photography and video project with hard to reach youths. Young people are brought into the heart of the new park by including them in this arts project that focused on perceptions of identity. Young people were then part of the steering group for the arts lighting project working with Jason Bruges Studio.

The Broadwalk is a linear square with an ornamental surface etched into concrete. Playfulness is integrated into the fabric of the park- benches that double as climbing blocks, drinking fountains are also water play features, wooden decks and grassy mounds become play terrain. Central to the park is the main play area with a bmx area, ballpark, table tennis, natural play and climbing walls. A lighting installation celebrates the wonderful qualities of the existing trees on site by using light to transform the trees and make them more visible. A community garden is placed in the open park – a place for everyone to grow their own produce.

‘it’s a fantastic, really thoughtfully designed park……..designed to enable play, not dictate it. There is an open-endedess about the park’s design that lends itself to the ways in which children actually use spaces for play.