Fitzrovia Youth in Action (FYA), a Camden-based youth charity, is working with LDA Design and social enterprise Matt+Fiona to develop a new garden and performance space on an unused site on Hampstead Road. The project, involving the creation of meanwhile uses for sites made available by HS2 around Euston Station, comes in response to extensive community engagement that revealed a pressing need for more recreational spaces and activities for young people in the area.

The project began with extensive community consultations, revealing a strong desire among local residents for more recreational spaces and activities for young people. In response, LDA Design and Matt+Fiona collaborated with FYA to reimagine the Hampstead Road site. Their efforts included a series of design workshops, open events, and family sessions on the Regent’s Park Estate, where ideas were gathered through large-scale, ink-based drawings.

LDA Director Dafydd Warburton expressed enthusiasm for the project, highlighting the collaborative nature of the endeavour. “It has been fantastic working with Matt + Fiona, FYA, and the local community to ensure the gardens are sustainable, recycling and reusing where possible, and that they feature the elements most desired by local residents,” he said.

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