To create green, community-focused spaces along Hackney streets to boost local businesses and offer pleasant outdoor areas for residents and visitors.

Almost 100m2 of parklets across the borough including decked flooring, over 20 planters filled with diverse vegetation and the installation of many bike hoops.

We originally started with parklets on Wilton Way, but both Hackney council & the local residents were keen to expand on this bustling little epicentre. The aim was to bring more business into the area, creating more spaces for the community, and bringing more greenery to the road, all whilst maintaining its original charm.

48 metres squared of parklet space was added, complete with decked floors and balustrade railings, as well as 23 planters housing a variety of trees, plants and shrubs. 10 cycle hoops were also installed, encouraging visitors to cycle down for a coffee/ lunch.

Meristem Design worked closely with each of the businesses on the road, discussing planting schemes that would benefit both the business and the surrounding nature. This was done by planting a variety of different herb species to be used in the restaurant/ cafe kitchens, but also looking at spring/ summer flowering, drought tolerant species such as Aster and Verbena, which will benefit pollinators. As well as the community, schemes like this create valuable wildlife corridors.

Having worked with Hackney council to restore and rejuvenate its existing parklets, we were then approached to provide 7 new parklets. These would be spread over Cambridge Heath and Stoke Newington, providing additional seating, bike parking and greening in the areas. 

Totalling 50m across the 7 parklets, Hackney council challenged us to create a new product, combating concerns of antisocial behaviour in the evening, but still providing a space during the day that can be used by a wide range of individuals. The benches can then be safely locked away in the evening, in an effort to reduce the number of complaints due to anti-social behaviour. 

Working with Hackney council, the decision was made to go in the direction of parklet stewards, in the shape of local businesses, who can keep an eye on the parklets between our maintenance visits. We subsequently decided to create a series of parklets with collapsible benches, which could be put up during the day for people to sit and enjoy, but then folded away and locked during the night.

With seven out of ten households in Hackney not owning a car, a real emphasis was put on providing safe, additional cycle parking in the areas, with a total of 20 hoops installed across the parklets.

The parklets were planted with a range of species, carefully selected for their robust nature, standing up to the harsh elements of London streets. With the drought seen this year especially, we’ve had to really think about what species are suited to these projects, striking a balance between aesthetics and resilience, whilst also boosting other important elements such as providing flowers for pollinators.

Ramps have also been fitted to the parklets, allowing them to be enjoyed by a wider range of individuals with different levels of ability.

Post Covid-19 schemes such as Wilton Way have been invaluable when it comes to bringing life and funding back to small local businesses, providing safe, pleasant outdoor spaces to attract members of the public.

The parklets also house 17 additional cycle stand hoops, which will hopefully aid in attracting locals to cycle to the nearby shops in confidence, boosting the council’s efforts to encourage people to walk, cycle and shop locally. The council have now begun working on additional plans to create locations to safely park cargo bikes, as the borough grows to effectively service an ever-evolving market, with newer, more efficient ways of conducting business.