Tigg + Coll entered a competition to rejuvenate Powis Square Gardens in Notting Hill. The park appears to have been developed in a piecemeal fashion over the years and overall, its condition can be described as tired and lacking an overall vision.

The key aspect of our proposal suggests opening the park up to the surrounding streets by removing the perimeter fencing. This increased permeability allows for porous boundaries, inviting the activity of the street into the gardens.

The main activities of the park have been zoned, clearly defined by the colour and treatment of surfaces, with soft borders of planting and benches marking their edges. These zones sit within a free-flowing space that offers several different routes to navigate through the gardens. Where it is not desired for uses to mix, such as dog walkers and playgrounds, sculptural screening is proposed to separate them.

The plaza space opens up the northern end of the site offering a European style square for people to sit off Talbot Road. The removal of barriers from this space creates a relationship with the entrance of the Tabernacle, offering opportunities for the activities within the community centre to spill into the park.

The proposal aims to continue and improve Powis Square Garden’s history as a host of performance. The lack of barriers allows for much improved flow of people during the Notting Hill Carnival.

A unified play area offers an exciting opportunity to design a new play space through engaging with the local community.