Major transformation approved for Hackney Town Hall Square
Plans to upgrade the historic Hackney Town Hall Square have been approved...
Plans to upgrade the historic Hackney Town Hall Square have been approved, with work due to begin in August on restoring and improving the iconic heritage features and enhancing the wider area around the square, while ensuring it remains at the centre of civic and cultural life in Hackney and a safe, accessible and inclusive public space for everyone to use.
The regeneration project is funded by the UK Government and the Council, and is one of a number of projects set to transform Hackney Central, including a new linear park along Amhurst Road, improvements to Pembury Circus junction to make it safer for all road users, and investment into the popular Hackney Central Library and Hackney Museum.
Designs for the upgraded Town Hall Square have been shaped by extensive community engagement over the past year, with contributions from residents of all ages including those who use the square regularly.
The upgrades and renovations to the square will complement the high quality renovation of the 1930s Art Deco Town Hall building, which was completed in 2018. This includes new paving, renovations to the Grade II-listed lampposts and walls around the raised planters and the introduction of social spaces for younger and older people alike.
New seating will be introduced, including child-friendly furniture. Improvements to the lighting will make the space more welcoming at night, more energy efficient and highlight the square’s historic architecture. Additional trees will be planted alongside the much-loved palm trees, ensuring that the next generation will enjoy a green square with an impressive tree canopy.
The design has been created by award winning local MUF Architecture/Art who’s designs have also enhanced the square’s role as the boroughs primary civic space for public life in Hackney. The area directly in front of the Town Hall can host up to 1,000 people comfortably and the improvements will help facilitate a better used space, with the potential to host a range of activities to help create a thriving and accessible civic destination.
Deputy Mayor Guy Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Regeneration, said: “The Town Hall Square is not only an important physical space in the heart of Hackney but it also has a place in all of our own hearts for many reasons. It’s a familiar space that hosts civic expression, which includes dissent as well as celebration, and has done so for many generations. It is also a cultural space where residents from all communities gather, celebrate, take shelter or meet each other - and of course where many newly married couples celebrate their special day and start the next chapter of their lives together.
“This project, developed in close collaboration with the community, led by the talented and experienced MUF Architecture/Art team, will preserve the square’s historical character, its uniqueness and its quirkiness while enhancing it and equipping it for the next 100 years and ensuring it remains a welcoming and inclusive place for all of us.”