College Green - CroydonUrban Renewal

Fairfield is a 1960s urban landscape in central Croydon. Historically an area for visiting fairs, the current site encompasses two important civic institutions, the Croydon College and the Fairfield Halls, which both have a strong relationship to College Green. The project commission is in two strands: master planning and mixed use development feasibility and early wins / meanwhile use of the urban spaces to improve the urban realm now prior to development.

Following on form their work on the All London Green Grid, KLA have put forward proposals for new landscape typologies which become green wayfinding devices. The aim is to create a pedestrian and cycle friendly green public realm with good connections.

The Fairfield site is at present a road dominated concrete island built on two levels, with an underground car park and a ground level area connecting under the adjacent highways via subways.  The aspiration for the public realm is to integrate the ground level with Croydon’s town centre using pattern and colour, and to create a visual connection to the lower levels. Trees planted at underground level will emerge through cut areas in the ground level paving, using landscape as a wayfinding device to improve legibility of the public realm at both levels.

Engagement is the key to regeneration of the masterplan area in the short term before the development takes place. KLA are working alongside Meanwhile Space and the Decorators to stimulate regeneration through meanwhile uses and events, showcasing the potential uses of the Fairfield area and encouraging groups to invest time and energy into activating the space.