The transformation of a village green to create a popular public space at the centre of an evolving south London neighbourhood.

A remnant of the hamlet of Nunhead, the green has been a key public space in the area for over 200 years and now forms the focus of the Nunhead Green Conservation Area. We were appointed to develop a shared vision for the green with the local community and deliver a new landscape that reinstated the green as the heart of the high street, supported by the Mayor of London's Outer London Fund (OLF). We led and facilitated a number of public events on the green and in an adjacent empty shop, allowing concerns to be explored, future visions to be debated and designs tested.

Despite previous redevelopments it had suffered from the conflicting needs of dog walkers and the wider public. By removing the fencing along the quiet north edge, dogs were no longer let off their leads and their fouling was better managed. This opening up significantly changed the public perception and use of the green, allowing a diversity of locals and visitors to enjoy its spaces.

New paths following desire lines encouraged use, with hazel hedges providing protection from the busy road along the south edge. A family of distinct spaces were created offering different experiences in response to the adjacent buildings - a new play area, lawn, village square, secluded garden and high street square.

We collaborated with local artists to create a series of installations that enriched the green with the ecologies and myths of Nunhead.

In 2015 Nunhead Green won the Green Flag Award, the benchmark national standard for publicly accessible parks and green spaces in the UK and around the world.