Gillett Square – internationally recognised as a model for future social regeneration

Hawkins\Brown started working on Gillett Square in the 1990s. At the time it was a disused car park surrounded by derelict buildings, inhabited by drinkers and drug dealers, and avoided by the local community. The challenge, to transform it into a public space where local people of all ages could come together.

The idea of a public square in Dalston had been discussed locally over many years as part of a community wide consultation by Groundwork East London and Hackney Cooperative Developments. We worked in close partnership with these groups to prepare a masterplan, that would realise this vision, of a sustainable community-led space to represent local cultures and ethnic groups, and provide a catalyst for investment.

With HCD we established the Gillett Square Partnership, bringing together the private sector, local authority and voluntary sector to establish a vision and a business plan for the square, and to project manage its construction.

The first phase of the project was the retention and repair of the derelict Victorian terrace in Bradbury Street. We helped to raise funds to convert these to workshops, studios and shops, and designed and built a circular building at the entrance of the square to house HCD’s headquarters. By introducing market pods, we established local trading, and further funding enabled us to convert two derelict terraced buildings into the Dalston Culture Club, which attracted the Vortex Jazz Club, introducing a popular destination and 24/7 activity into the area.

To support and connect these new buildings, we converted the derelict car park into a new town square; knitting together the surrounding buildings and providing communal outdoor space for performances and teaching. In 2006 Gillett Square was opened as the first of the London Mayor’s programme of 100 new public spaces for London.