Stratford Waterfront Masterplan

The design for Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park site, developed by a team consisting of O'Donnell + Tuomey, Allies and Morrison and Arquitecturia Camps Felip, was a winning proposal in the two-stage design competition launched in September 2014, with interest registered by over 125 practices from around the world (see more details here).

Located on a slender site along the River Lea, nestled between Carpenter’s Road and the WaterWorks River, the new buildings will occupy a prominent position on the Park’s eastern edge, approachable and connected through a sequence of clearly legible public spaces.

The proposed buildings are divided into two areas: the cultural and education institutions in the south; and the residential neighbourhood in the north. The cluster of institution buildings will house the partners coming to the Park, arranged to support collaboration among them and active participation with the public. A new public landscape will seamlessly blend into the Park, using materials and planting that reflect both the character of the Park and those of the institutions. A new cycle and footbridge will connect Stratford Waterfront to International Quarter London, offering a greater choice of routes to enter and move through the Park.

This masterplan is aimed at enhancing interaction and supports the public programming of the institutions. The public realm’s sequential permeability will create not just a nice place to be, but spaces that foster interaction and enable the institutions to experiment with new ways to engage with the public. The openness of buildings at pedestrian level and their integration with new public areas and routes is highly civic in character, yet approachable and informal. These 24/7 spaces will allow opportunities for events, performance and other artistic interventions but they will also provide attractive places for visitors and neighbourhoods to enjoy – places to share a picnic, watch the view, relax in the sun.