Neglected railway line to become pilgrimage route for South London visitors
A neglected railway line will become a cultural pilgrimage route to attract visitors to some of the most historic parts of South London.
The so-called Low Line is to be given a revamp, connecting Shakespeare’s haunts, the sites of the seamier side of life in the capital, and the tourist hot spots in the area.
A consortium of firms have won a high profile competition, against 82 other international applicants, to transform rail tracks, which link Southwark to London Bridge and Bermondsey with Blackfriars,
PDP London architects’ ‘Low Line Commons’ won the international design competition run by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) to deliver a green strategy along the path of London’s historic railway arches.
Better Bankside (BB) commissioned the contest for some of London’s oldest neighbourhoods, connecting communities and “offering a distinct perspective on an immensely well-known but ever-evolving part of town”.
A BB statement added: “The Low Line will unlock the potential of our Victorian rail arches – opening up a walkway that runs
along the base of the viaducts to create a new spine, supporting breathing spaces and a flourishing mix of small and medium sized businesses.”
The design offers four interlinked themes to help guide the emerging Low Line – productive green infrastructure, public space, diverse and green economy and historical and cultural connections.
The project features tree planting, community gardens and wildlife habitats for the community and to encourage more visitors.
Pedro Roos, Partner at PDP Architecture, said: “We are delighted to have been announced as the winners of the competition. Low Line Commons aspires to be a shared natural and cultural resource of the people, by the people and for the people.
“It aims to transform the arches from being a barrier to a seam sensitively knitted into the multiple layers of the local context. We look forward to working with the client team in developing the Low Line as a robust piece of infrastructure for London that creatively tackles the current environmental, economic and social challenges head-on.”
Donald Hyslop, Chair of Better Bankside and the Low Line Steering Group, said: “We were very pleased to see so many entries to the competition, both locally and internationally.
“The Low Line will become an important part of some of London’s most vibrant communities and neighbourhoods. The Low Line Commons stands out with its attention to addressing the intricacies of the project and making people its chief concern – placing communities and ecology at its heart.”
Funding for the Low Line has been secured through a £1m grant from the Mayor of London’s Good Growth Fund, which will match a further £1m of investment from Low Line project partners to deliver a number of projects across the area, including some early projects stemming from the design competition.
The Low Line has developed through a group of initial partners including Better Bankside, Team London Bridge, Blue Bermondsey, Southwark council, the Arch Company, and Borough Market, who are steering the initial scoping, planning and communication of the project.
