The 'Heart of Slough' public realm master plan was a commission based on revising a previous design. The principal moves within the master plan are the provision of at grade pedestrian crossings to replace the unsafe subways and the replacement of the old roundabout, made famous by the credits of the BBC’s sitcom ‘The Office’, with a new crossroads. This decision also reclaims a significant area of land to provide additional town centre building plots.
A significant feature of the master plan is the new north-south pedestrian link from the Railway Station, past the new Bus Station and new Cultural Centre, to an enlarged Mackenzie Square at the end of the High Street. The new connections and public spaces created will restore a sense of place within Slough.
The scheme provides places for people to pause. Angled bus stops improve waiting areas and make it easy for waiting passengers to see approaching buses.
Key areas such as the Station Forecourt and the Library Square will become identifiable places within Slough enabling a positive street life to develop.
Working with landscape architects Spacehub we are responsible for delivering an exciting, robust and enjoyable public realm for Slough Borough Council. Coordinating closely with the Traffic Engineers, WYG and Project Managers, Fitton Associates, we have developed a simple high quality palette of materials with robust planting using 25 year old lime trees to line the streets creating a green buffer between pedestrians and traffic.
As well as the public realm bblur have designed and delivered the Bus Station and our scheme for ‘The Curve’ cultural centre is due for completion at the end of 2015.
2010
2015
2020
Client:
Architecture & Public Realm:
Landscape Architects:
Traffic and Civil engineers:
Project Managers:
Slough Borough Council
BBLUR architecture
BBLUR & Spacehub
WYG
Fitton Associates