Case studies

Drury Lane School Parklet

Greener and Safer Streets: London's First School Parklet

Meristem Design was proud to contribute to the creation of London’s first school parklet at St Clement Danes Church of England Primary School on Drury Lane. Unveiled in February 2022, this pioneering project was a collaboration between Westminster City Council, Northbank BID, Cross River Partnership, and the school community. Located just minutes from Covent Garden, the parklet transforms former parking spaces into a vibrant, green oasis, enhancing air quality and providing a welcoming space for children and parents.

The Parklet provides much-needed greenery to the street, seating for school children and parents as well as helping connect the school children to nature and nature education.

Reclaimed Urban Space

Transformed a parking bay into a vibrant community asset.

Enhanced Air Quality

Introduced greenery to absorb pollutants and improve the environment.

Encouraged Learning

Created an outdoor space that fosters environmental awareness for students.

Built a Community Hub

Provided a space for parents and children to gather in a safer, more pleasant setting.

Across London and the UK schools many suffer from several issues, notably poor air quality because of idling cars, illegally parked cars, noise pollution levels and safety issues when parents pick up children at the end of the day. All these problems/issues particularly affect school children’s health.

Traffic and Pollution

The area suffered from high vehicle emissions and illegal parking outside the school.

Space Reallocation

Repurposing parking bays required community buy-in and regulatory support.

The vibrant green school Parklet is a way to take back space from cars, improve air quality, educate children, provide seating amongst nature, and improve the overall street for people. This innovative project highlights the power of urban greening in transforming streetscapes for the benefit of communities, and we look forward to seeing more schools embrace the parklet movement.

Reducing Pollution

The presence of greenery helps absorb carbon dioxide and filter airborne pollutants.

Improving Safety

The parklet discourages illegal parking and idling outside the school.

Fostering Wellbeing

Children and parents now have a tranquil, green space for rest and interaction.

Inspiring Change

As the first of its kind, this project sets a precedent for future school-focused urban greening initiatives.

Client

Westminster City Council

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Before

After

Testimonials

I’m so pleased to launch this amazing new Parklet outside St Clement Danes school, here in the heart of the West End.

This is all part of Westminster City Council’s plan to create greener and safer environments around our schools for the benefit of children and parents.

Cllr Mark Shearer

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