Transforming into one of London’s finest public parks, Exchange Square at Broadgate recently underwent significant remodelling to create a haven for office employees and visitors alike. Positioned over the tracks of Liverpool Street Station, Exchange Square’s meandering paths sought inspiration from the landscapes of East Anglia, quadrupling the amount of green space at the central London location.
As the vision of the modern workplace evolves, the value of enhanced public spaces has become central to the design and construction of commercial offices. The 1.5-acre public park at Exchange Square is a testament to the developer’s ambition to boost the emotional and physical well-being of those who visit Broadgate.
Accessible to all, Exchange Square provides a well-maintained outdoor space with a wide variety of trees and flora to enhance well-being and encourage biodiversity. Designed by DSDHA, this tranquil landscape offers something for everyone.
DSDHA’s founding director, Deborah Saunt, explained: “Our ambition for this new park was to create a landscape that nurtures both plants and people through retrofitting nature into the heart of the City, breaking down perceived barriers to the surrounding areas, and offering a space that provides opportunities for both recuperation and recreation.”
The lighting for Exchange Square was designed by International design practice, Speirs Major. Blending light and darkness, the scheme focuses on enhancing the park’s character as day turns to night, creating a warm ambience and encouraging social interaction.
DW Windsor was appointed to deliver key lighting elements of the scheme to aid wayfinding through the green space. Pharola Max bollards were integrated within landscape elements to provide discreet illumination, marking internal routes and highlighting low-level planting.
Pharola has been designed to blend seamlessly into a wide range of urban environments. The highly versatile bollard features diffused glazing and a discreet light aperture, striking the perfect balance between comfort and performance.
DW Windsor worked with Speirs Major to provide Pharola in bespoke heights of 900mm and 400mmm with a custom RAL finish. Specified in 3000K, all luminaires have been integrated with DALI drivers to allow for a flexible lighting scheme that needs little maintenance.
Paul Murphy, Key Account Director at DW Windsor commented: “The reimagination of Exchange Square offers a welcoming environment for office workers, the local community, and passers-by, and we were honoured to work with the project team to bring this transformative public space to life. In addition, through Speirs Major’s lighting scheme, we were able to demonstrate the versatility of Pharola, which supported the brief, combining practicality with elegant design.”
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