Extramural - meaning a place beyond the city walls. Our Proposal for the redesign of Finsbury Circus in the City of London. The capitals oldest public square

Our proposal is developed from a reflection of both our place historically as a city, but also how natural cycles should be celebrated. The lost Walbrook River and histories attempts to stop or alter its natural course is our starting point. Our approach is to express again this memory of the lost river and the journey of water across the site. To recycle on site resources, naturally irrigating a sustainable garden planted with great care and to suit this local environment. 

Rain becomes an event: water runs through the landscape collecting at lowest most southerly point of the circus. You will read all four states of water along its journey, starting at the highest point, and collecting source of our water, the pavilion. 

Sited at the highpoint of the circus, our pavilion acts as the source and provides for the landscape. The elegant roof acting as a dynamic water collector. Reflecting both the practicality of the leaf but also its delicacy and complexity in form. A visitor to the pavilion would be able to feel the immediacy of the buildings relationship to water and the garden both visually and audibly. 

Stepped Contours: Make a place to sit and enjoy a summers day as people pass by. Listen or play in the water. You see back across the water garden and pavilion cafe to the woodland landscape beyond. The materiality of rammed earth, filigree woven timber and waving reeds gives lightness of spirit.