A short history of our oval square The Grosvenor Square story 3 Reimagining Grosvenor Square Setting the scene for change 4 Here's what we have learned A summary of what our research has revealed 5 Evolving Grosvenor Square together 1 A summary of our qualitative focus group research 8 Focused dreaming A summary of our quantitative opinion survey 6 1,000 Londoners thinking `inside the square' A last word from some very creative local school kids 11 Welcome to their square of the future Five principles for success and an inspiring platform 12 What happens next? How you can get involved and share your ideas 13 Come into the square and join the conversation At their best, London’s squares are all things to all people: quiet havens from the hustle and bustle of city life; convenient spaces to meet family or friends; centres for al fresco eating, entertainment and art. Many of them, being famous landmarks, are global tourist attractions, others attract visitors in quieter ways, each having their own unique atmospheres. London without its squares is unimaginable and Grosvenor Square, already popular with those who know it, has the potential to become London’s leading square again. A CALL FOR IDEAS TO MAKE GROSVENOR SQUARE A GREAT LONDON SPACE Your invitation to dream A quick introduction to our ‘Shaping the Square’ campaign 2
Transcript
A short history of our oval squareThe Grosvenor Square story 3
Reimagining Grosvenor SquareSetting the scene for change 4
Here's what we have learnedA summary of what our research has revealed 5
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 1
A summary of our qualitative focus group research 8Focused dreaming
A summary of our quantitative opinion survey 61,000 Londoners thinking `inside the square'
A last word from some very creative local school kids 11Welcome to their square of the future
Five principles for success and an inspiring platform 12What happens next?
How you can get involved and share your ideas 13Come into the square and join the conversation
At their best, London’s squares are all things to all people: quiet havens from the hustle and bustle of city life; convenient spaces to meet family or friends; centres for al fresco eating, entertainment and art. Many of them, being famous landmarks, are global tourist attractions, others attract visitors in quieter ways, each having their own unique atmospheres.
London without its squares is unimaginable and Grosvenor Square, already popular with those who know it, has the potential to become London’s leading square again.
A cAll for ideAs to mAke Grosvenor squAre A GreAt london spAce
Your invitation to dreamA quick introduction to our ‘Shaping the Square’ campaign 2
of a thousand Londoners, running interviews with local residents and visitors and creating a panel of experts to focus on their answers to the question: ‘What’s in your Square?’
In 2018, we’ll issue an open, international call to experts and professionals for creative answers to the question, ‘What’s in your Square?’ We’ll share the most exciting suggestions with the public, before developing them and running a formal design competition later in the year.
How do you fit in? We hope you’ll use this document as a source of information and inspiration to create your own ideas. You can share them with us at vision.grosvenorlondon.com/whats-in-your-square and join the conversation about Grosvenor Square.
YouR invitAtion to
A quick introduction to our ‘Shaping the Square’ campaign
We're asking thousands of people who live, work or socialise in London, to think laterally about what they want from one of their city's largest public spaces ± Grosvenor Square.
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 2SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
Why? Because we want to reimagine and rejuvenate this unique space for all who visit it now and in the future. We want Grosvenor Square to become a welcoming space for London; one that honours its amazing 300-year history and reflects the needs of a leading 21st century global city.
Our aspirations are part of a vision we have for our London estate to evolve. During the next 20 years we want Mayfair & Belgravia to be more active, more open and more integrated, with better streets, greener spaces and enterprising places that appeal to everyone.
We want the Grosvenor Square of the future to reflect this vision. And that’s why we’re looking outwards: surveying the thoughts
Grosvenor square's reputation as the place to see and be seen is enhanced when gardener John Alston creates a `wilderness worke' featuring a densely-wooded mound and a statue of George i on horseback ± probably the first equestrian statue raised in a london square since antiquity.
1774the coming of shrubs
Architect George richardson tames the wilderness, divides the gardens into quarters and plants some of the first formal shrubberies in london.
1727enter `some villainous persons'
Although london's aristocracy flock to the square, `some villainous persons' still manage to dismember the statue of George i in a `most shameful manner.'
1722the `Great ovall' garden
the centrepiece for the mayfair estate is a grand square with an eight-acre baroque `ovall garden', created by Grosvenor's estate surveyor, thomas Barlow.
1720 A grand place at the `farthest extent of the town'
sir richard Grosvenor commissions a grand scheme for his 100-acre estate `at the farthest extent of the town, with the fields on all sides.'
The Grosvenor Square story...
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1939-45 Welcome to `Little America'
During WWII the Square is disfigured by numerous air raid protection measures ± it also becomes known as `Eisenhowerplatz' or `Little America' when the US military make it their wartime home.
1785the `prettyest square in london'
Abigail Adams, Grosvenor square resident and wife of American ambassador, John Adams (later president), proclaims the square the `most reputable and prettyest square in london'.
1854Grosvenor's `lordly square'
from Georgian to victorian times, the square retains its reputation as the most refined enclave in town. Writing in nicholas nickleby in 1838, dickens commends its `aristocratic gravity' and in 1854, writer George moore calls it `Grosvenor's lordly square.'
1800slaying the lawns
during the first decade of the 19th century, the square's layout is simplified. many intersecting paths are removed and replaced by lawns.
1946 fdr arrives
following the passing of the roosevelt memorial Act, a statue of franklin delano roosevelt is erected in the square, where it still stands today. the garden becomes a public space managed by the ministry of Works, and is re-landscaped with the loss of some 60 mature trees.
1950s A constantly changing landscape
the demolition of the private town houses around the square that began in the 1920s and accelerated after WWii led to the new, bigger apartment blocks and hotels we see around the square today, most of which were completed by the mid-1960s.
1960the times they are a changing
the chancery Building, commonly known as the American embassy, opens at 24-31 Grosvenor square, designed by modernist finnish-American architect eero saarinen. later in the decade, it's the focal point for anti-war demonstrations.
21st century Grosvenor square the garden remains unchanged since its last modest refurbishment in the 1970s.
What should come next?
1920Anyone for tennis?
flappers flock to the square but the statue of George i and a victorian pavilion that stood at its centre, are both gone ± in their place are irregularly planted plane trees and a tennis court.
Hammersmith
Camden
MAYFAIR
BELGRAVIA
Pimlico
St Giles
Clerkenwell
Bloomsbury
SouthKensington
Knightsbridge
Whitehall
FitzroviaMarylebone
Chelsea
Paddington
Maida Vale
Vauxhall
Lambeth
Somers Town
South Bank
WestbourneGreen
NorthKensington
St. James's
Finsbury
Notting Hill
Bayswater
Victoria
Millbank
Covent Garden
London’s focal points are constantly changing too, with districts, streets and squares falling in and out of fashion. There are undoubtedly underlying socio-economic explanations for this, but for seasoned London watchers, the experience can seem rather whimsical. To quote Charles Dickens writing in The Pickwick Papers in 1836,“The first ray of light which illumines the gloom” continuously swings its bright beam across the city, bestowing cultural currency on one area after another – Westminster, Mayfair, Chelsea, Covent Garden, Shoreditch, Dalston… And so it goes on.
In fact, guessing the next part of London to become ‘trendy’ is an all-absorbing game that’s probably engaged Londoners since the city broke free of its original fortifications centuries ago and charged outwards in every direction.
No London landmark illustrates this phenomenon better than Grosvenor Square, which for the record, currently comprises 2.5 hectares of land laid largely to lawn, situated less than 200 metres from Oxford Street in the heart of the West End at the centre of Grosvenor’s Mayfair estate.
Since it first opened to residents almost 300 years ago, Grosvenor Square’s reputation has fluctuated regularly. It’s been a ‘must-see’ London attraction at least three times, first as an Italianate Garden, next as a daring experiment in ‘wilderness’ design, and during the Victorian period, as the most aristocratic of all London’s garden squares.
But today, given its size and location, Grosvenor Square is now less well known and underused compared to London’s other favourite squares. Some have called it a London square that has lost its way. We prefer to think of it as a square that’s been temporarily left behind as the cultural spotlight has shifted to the capital’s other public places.
And as we’ve said, London is always changing and that change can be sparked and designed to achieve a specific end. We think it’s time this historic square ‘made the weather’ across London once again. And with your ideas and support, we’re sure that it can.
Anyone who knows London knows that it's never the same two days running. it constantly changes its size, shape and characteristics. Even the weather is famously unpredictable.
GRoSvEnoR SQuAREreimaginingSetting the scene for change
1727
1887
2017
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 4SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
1927
A Guided Grosvenor square
This is probably the most straightforward of the big themes that have emerged from our survey and focus groups. Put simply, people need more help to find their way to Grosvenor Square. They want better signposting, but also more points of interest around the square to create a sense of arrival.
A GrippinG Grosvenor square
Time and time again, the people we’ve talked to have told us that they need a reason to go to Grosvenor Square – some sort of ‘wow’ factor that makes it a place worth visiting. You’ll notice that their ideas about what this ‘wow’ factor might be vary widely. In addition to the importance of a ‘wow’ factor, there was also an observation that the best squares are surrounded by equally appealing places to meet and enjoy.
You can read about the results of these exercises in more detail on pages 6-11, but here's a summary of what we've heard so far.
A GloBAl Grosvenor square
Almost everyone we’ve asked wants Grosvenor Square to be a global square in a global London – diverse and inclusive in every respect, helping the streets of Mayfair around it to feel welcoming whilst retaining their elegant charm. The demand for the ‘whole world in one London square’ is a consistent one.
A Green and pleasant Grosvenor square
It’s clear that most people value urban squares for the contrasts they provide. They’re an escape from the hustle, bustle and noise of city life – green and pleasant gardens in which to unwind and relax.
A GreGArious Grosvenor square
Most of the people who’ve shared their views with us want Grosvenor Square to stay ‘green’, but many of them also want it to be ‘gregarious’ at appropriate times of the day and year ± more sociable and more interesting.
We want to understand Grosvenor Square's ability to meet the needs of all who use it, from local residents to national and international tourists. So far, we've asked more than 1,000 people how they think we can do this, by running surveys and interviews with locals and visitors.
A summary of what our research has revealedHERE'S WHAt WE HAvE LEARnED
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 5SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
. 61% of people use public spaces to meet friends and socialise
. 54% go there to eat lunch . 49% use them to exercise –
whether running or walking . 40% visit them to listen to
music or watch outdoor theatre performances
More women than men see public spaces as social spaces.
Q. What are the benefits of public spaces?
. 71% of people value public spaces because they’re green spaces
. 52% prefer their green spaces to have natural wildlife
. 47% enjoy them together with friends, family or colleagues
Perhaps surprisingly, being able to walk dogs or enjoy static artwork were both low priorities.
Q. Which london squares are you familiar with?
. 55% of people know Russell Square best
. 49% know Soho Square best . 39% know St James’s Square best
Grosvenor Square isn’t as well-known as some other London squares. Men and middle aged or older people who are relatively wealthy and own their own home are most familiar with it.
With help from research specialists Britainthinks, we've run a representative survey of over 1,000 Londoners aged 18-years and over. We asked them to answer questions about how they currently use public spaces, which are their favourite public spaces in London, and what they would like a reimagined Grosvenor Square to offer visitors. Here are just some of the interesting things we've found out.
A summary of our quantitative opinion surveytHinkinG `inSiDE tHE SQuARE'1,000 Londoners
71% oF PEoPLE vALuE PuBLiC SPACES BECAuSE tHEY'RE GREEn SPACES
9%oF LonDonERS ARE vERY FAMiLiAR WitH GRoSvEnoR SQuARE
ONLY61% oF PEoPLE uSE PuBLiC SPACES to MEEt FRiEnDS AnD SoCiALiSE
PEoPLE GEnERALLY uSE LonDon SQuARES AS
social spaces
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 6SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
You can read a full copy of the Britain thinks representative survey results here.
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 7SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
tHinkinG `inSiDE tHE SQuARE'1,000 Londoners
if you could give one piece of advice about how to make Grosvenor Square a place that you would really want to visit and spend time in, what would it be?** Top three responses
53% oF PEoPLE WAnt A
FAMiLY HuB ± WHEtHER tHAt'S A PLAY AREA
oR A CoMMunitY vEGEtABLE GARDEn 51%
oF PEoPLE WAnt EntERtAinMEnt, ARt AnD FooD
tHAt REPRESEntS tHE WoRLD, not JuSt
LonDon
52%oF PEoPLE WAnt tECHnoLGY-FREE
zonES
44% want green space and wildlife
44% of people want a tranquil place to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life
32% want a space to socialise
58% oF PEoPLE BELiEvE MAYFAiR iS EXCLuSivELY FoR AFFLuEnt PEoPLE
tHE iDEA oF BRinGinG global cultureinto GRoSvEnoR SQuARE iS A PoPuLAR onE
Q. What do you think of mayfair?
. 58% believe Mayfair is only for the affluent
. 57% believe Mayfair has a range of attractive architecture
. 51% believe Mayfair has good places to eat and drink
* Top three priorities
GET IN TOUCH
[email protected] can read a full copy of the Britain thinks representative survey results here.
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 8SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
dreamingWhat do people really think about public spaces in cities? What do they want from city squares in general and Grosvenor Square in particular? We commissioned research specialists Britainthinks to help us find out.
What did we do?Alongside polling, we also held smaller focus groups of eight volunteers (each comprising of six London residents and two visitors to the city). We asked them tell us about their favourite urban public spaces, to explain how they use them and then to imagine what a truly great Grosvenor Square should offer. It’s fair to say everyone rose to the challenge. Here’s a flavour of their views and their visions for shaping the square.
A great london squareParticipants highlighted the five elements required to make a square a great square. 1. A green haven in a city where fewer and fewer
residents have gardens2. A space where people meet, socialise and interact in
lots of different ways3. Diverse and inclusive – bringing different kinds of
people together4. A place for world-class entertainment, with something
for everyone5. A creative space – a forum for artists and performers
When asked to rank their favourite London squares, they named Soho Square, Russell Square and Granary Square top – each of which provides most, if not all, of these elements.
my great Grosvenor square would...
summer
a creative space
FoCuSED dreaming
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 9SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
HAVE a quiet corner where you can’t use mobile devices
Offer astudy areawith desks and
free wi-fi access
Have a Graffiti Corner where street artists
can work and people can
watch them
Be available 24-hours a dayand beautiful in the evening
squares for all seasonsParticipants made it clear that people need to be able to use squares in different ways at different times of the day and the year. Their favourite public spaces provide something for everyone – dog walkers, joggers and mums with kids in the mornings, lunch-breakers at midday, and socialisers and entertainment seekers in the evenings. In summer they maximise the joys of outdoor living, in winter they become cosier and more atmospheric.
square artParticipants believe that art in public spaces enhances their appeal, but isn’t a top priority. They’re particularly keen to see interactive art that involves visitors and community art projects.
squares of the futureWe asked participants to imagine London in 2037. Their thoughts focused on three big changes: our increasing dependence on technology; the changes in infrastructure needed to support a growing population; and the risks of increasing social, cultural and economic divisions.
london's squares in 2037 should be...- Quiet havens in a bigger and noisier city- Sanctuaries from digital technology- Places where wildlife flourishes- Inclusive public spaces open to everyone- Spaces hosting entertainment, performance
and culture- Easier to access using greener transport options
FoCuSED dreamingAn `out-there' Grosvenor squareOn the whole, participants came up with practical ideas about how to improve Grosvenor Square, but they also generally agreed that a reimagined square needs a ‘wow factor’ to attract visitors. Some of their suggestions were truly inspired.
A MAGIC STORYTELLING
TREE
The world’s first and best holographic theatre
A central observation tower or turret
an underground art gallery
a staticsurf ing wave
like the one in Munich
A MONORAIL CONNECTION TO AN UNDERGROUND STATION stacked or
Who better to ask about the future of Grosvenor Square than its likely future visitors?
Here are some of the brilliant ideas that the pupils of St. George's Hanover Square CE Primary School came up with when we asked them: What's in your square?
WELCoME to tHEiRsquare of the future
Lord of the rings role play
a treehouse
A RIVER (WITH FISH)
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 11SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
RENT A HORSEFOR A COUPLE OF HOURS
STAR WARS paintballing
A SWIMMING POOL
A SPACE JUST FOR Parkour
a safe place for kids
A UNICORN piñata
a dirtbike track with a few ramps
A last word from some very creative local school kids
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 12SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
We're excited by what we've learnt ± from local residents living near Grosvenor Square, Londoners and visitors from around the world. We're just as excited to hear your ideas for the Square, whenever you're ready to share them.
What happens next?We talked earlier on page 5 about what we’ve learned so far – the broad ideas emerging from the quantitative survey and focus groups. These seem to us to highlight five consistent principles for success:
compAnYA Grosvenor square in which the company that visitors keep is diverse, inclusive and `global'.
conteXtA `green and pleasant' Grosvenor square, setting the context for any other changes we make and surrounded by equally great places to meet and enjoy.
contrAstsA Grosvenor square that hosts contrasting activities in all seasons, from the intimate to the grand and from the energetic to the tranquil.
clAritYA Grosvenor square that declares its location and unique atmosphere with clarity and creates a strong sense of `arrival' ± easy to find and hard to resist.
colourA Grosvenor Square that is inspirational ± providing the unique colour that inspires people and demands to be seen.
Together, we think these five principles for success provide a robust and inspiring platform from which to reimagine a Grosvenor Square fit for 21st century London and the world that it welcomes through its gates every single day.
We’re particularly pleased that so much feedback confirms our belief that Grosvenor Square needs to evolve in ways that acknowledges its past as a garden square and as an outward-looking social space, welcoming all who come here.
the whole world in one london squareThe notion of ‘The whole world in one London Square’ intrigues us very much, because it corresponds so neatly with Grosvenor Square’s original intentions – whether taking inspiration from Italian garden design and French philosophical notions of ‘wilderness’ or welcoming Americans and local residents including the German-born composer, Handel.
This outward-looking sensibility is equally true of the area around the square. Mayfair has long been an elegant part of London; exclusive perhaps, but never homogeneous. It has always welcomed people from around the world.
inspiring PLAtFoRMfive principles for success and an
Evolving Grosvenor Square together 13SHAPinG tHE SQuARE
GET IN TOUCH
join the conversationCoME into tHE SQuARE AnD
Hopefully, this call for ideas has helped you understand what we're trying to achieve through our Shaping the Square campaign and also inspired you to come up with some ideas of your own about how to make it a great public space for London.
We really want to know what you think and it's easy to join the conversation.
You can find out more about what's going on and share your ideas here on our website
cONtextA green and
pleasant square surrounded by great places cONtrasts
