New London Awards 2021: Low Line Commons by PDP London announced as overall winner

New London Architecture has named Low Line Commons by PDP London as the winner of the Planning category and overall winner of the New London Awards 2021. 

The award program, supported by the Mayor of London, celebrates all scales of projects, from community-led to large mixed-use developments, both built and unbuilt, that contribute to the creation of a more sustainable, civilized, and egalitarian London. Projects are spread across 14 categories and are evaluated by an international jury.

Low Line Commons will establish a 3.5-kilometer (2.2-mile) green corridor along the Victorian railway viaduct, meandering through Bankside, London Bridge, and Bermondsey. Commissioned by Low Line Partners, it will connect people with nature and increase environmental resilience by promoting innovative greening and sustainability projects that mitigate climate change. The design also celebrates the diversity and heritage of each neighborhood it intersects with a series of hubs to encourage communities to unify and share a sense of place.

The streets and spaces around the current site divide neighborhoods, block access, and create dark and oppressive spaces. The design of the corridor aims to weave these areas together into a cohesive whole while celebrating their unique characteristics. Elements of the proposal center around establishing biodiversity and ecological connectivity, building climate resilience, and connecting people with each other and nature.

The ambition is for 50,000 square meters (538,200 square feet) of biodiverse roofs, 500 new trees, 30 sustainable drainage systems rain gardens, 10,000 plants, 100 new wildlife habitats, 1,000 square meters of wildflower meadows, 500 square meters of “grey to green” de-paving projects, 30 pocket spaces supporting social interaction, and 3.5 kilometers of transformed roadway to support green business and active travel.

“The NLA’s mission is to help create a better city,” said Peter Murray, NLA’s Curator-in-Chief and Chair of the judging panel. “What is better than taking grotty, left-over pieces of urban fabric and stitching them together into spaces that can be used by local communities as well as providing linked-up walking routes that support active travel strategies?”

The complete list of New London Awards 2021 winners can be viewed here.