What must we do to support High Streets?

Often seen as the socioeconomic heart of local communities, the richness and diversity of markets highlights how the creation of new high streets as part of the future development of towns and cities is a very real challenge. To hear more on this topic and join in the discussion, sign up for our London Festival of Architecture event ‘How do you solve a problem like new high streets?’, where we have gathered a series of high street experts to examine this topic.?

Markets are the original business incubator and we’ve had the privilege of delivering strategies and improvements in Brixton, Walthamstow and Oxford Covered Markets. We have identified 10 interlinking aspects of a market strategy and design interventions: Permanent interventions must allow for events and innovation, without inhibiting the market’s flexibility.

Integrated infrastructure and managed servicing are essential: Understanding how the market works over the day/month/year and proposing strategies to unlock opportunities to improve the quality of the space and extend market hours into the evening.?

We know that being a trader is tough with small margins: We listen closely and build consensus for change before proposing any intervention. Is a design intervention really needed to deliver maximum long-term benefit?

In Tomorrow’s Markets 2.0 for the GLA we bring together our experience with engagement and the market sector in a ‘How-to-Guide’. Watch this space!

Susie Hyden, Associate Director