Southsea’s urban landscape to get green boost as new ‘parklet’ project designed by university students is set to encourage community interaction and support local businesses

A proposal for a ‘parklet’ space by Jack Clark and Charlotte Hubbard, who are studying at Portsmouth university’s school of architecture, beat 16 other designs in a competition organised by social enterprise Form+Function.

The contest saw students design a series of spaces with the aim to revitalise and green local streets, provide community spaces and support local businesses.

Southsea residents can look forward to seeing the Living Streets project unfold as ‘parklets’ - small seating areas or green spaces created as a public amenity alongside a pavement - will appear in Albert Road and Highland Road.

Jack and Charlotte, who won first place in the competition as team ‘Circulus’, created a design for outdoor seating areas and greenery outside business premises in both streets. They will work in collaboration with local partners and international architecture offices to develop their ideas, in consultation with the nearby businesses.

Professor Oren Lieberman, head of the school of architecture, said: ‘The proposal is simple without being simplistic and has potential to integrate the community through its 'indefinite' configurations, which leave space and time for users' participation in bringing it to life.’

Guido Robazza, who helped organise the competition, is a senior lecturer in architecture and coordinator of the Project Office, a practice-based research and educational environment that promotes civic engagement in urban and architectural practice.

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He said: ‘There was a range of incredibly high-quality proposals submitted by multidisciplinary teams of students on the architecture course.

‘Circulus’ proposal puts in place an excellent set of functions that can stimulate local life and offer opportunities of interaction among the community.

‘Their work is excellent and I wish them success as they embark on this journey to engage with a real-life project in a professional setting.’

Judges gathered in the University’s Eldon Building to award the project and celebrate with all students who participated.

Cllr George Fielding joined Portsmouth City Council’s landscape architect Antje Eisfelder and BIM lead architectural designer Olufemi David Olaiya, as well as professionals from architectural practices Liam Watford (HOP Architects), and Rishi Patel (IDL Architecture), and Annabel Innes from the social enterprise Form+Function, together with staff from the school of architecture.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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