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Principles and Concepts
- To retain as much as possible the exiting landscape components and to respect the original landscape concepts;
- To create a unity of landscape and architecture, particularly with respect to the Exhibition Building; and
- To retain as many of the existing trees on the site as possible
The proposed landscape design:
- The replacement of the brick boundary wall on the east side and on the eastern half of the north side of the site with visually permeable light railings will reconnect the site with the park, allowing the Exhibition Building to fulfil the original concept of a 'Tent in the Park'
- The proposal maximizes the soft landscape on site, more than doubling the existing, from 17.5% currently to 38%
- A park-like design will bring Holland Park into the site
- A water feature with a bridge, located in the exact same place as the existing, will respect the original design and allow an approach to the Exhibition Building similar to the existing
- 26 of the existing 57 trees will be retained and additional 113 will be planted
- Three new public spaces will be created:
- A new public piazza on the High Street will signal the presence of the Design Museum and create a new focus on Kensington High Street. The piazza's designs echo the existing patterns and the symbolic use of the flagpole area
- A new public space in front of the Exhibition Building will connect the site with the park and the street
- A Terrace Garden will transform the existing tarmac parking on the north-eastern corner of the site to an open accessible public area, and will follow the designs of the Sylvia Crowe sculpture garden which was never realized
- The result of the above is a dramatic increase in the provision of open public space on site from 20% of the site's area in the existing condition to 51%
