Infrastructure that puts people first is the key to revitalising urban spaces

Last month, the government brought forward the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which aims to speed up and streamline the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure. As architects, we have been pushing for this for some time, so it is promising to see that the government recognises the need to build more to deliver economic growth.

At WilkinsonEyre, we believe that infrastructure should serve the people who use it, enhancing their daily lives. We have also been lucky enough to lead some of the largest and most exciting transport projects in the UK – including works for HS2 and the Elizabeth line.

Well-designed transport systems transform cities, catalyse growth and regeneration, creating ripple effects that go far beyond just providing travel facilities. They bring opportunities to revitalise areas, make them more accessible for people, create new communities and provide an economic boost which is often much needed.

That is why it is absolutely crucial for architects to carefully consider how people use and interact with spaces. Projects need to bring benefits beyond infrastructure, and transport projects specifically need to connect to their surrounding areas and open opportunities in stranded areas of cities.

Wider benefits

Transport hubs need to be more than places where people move from A to B. They drive economic growth, promote social equity, and contribute to environmental sustainability. These wider benefits underscore the importance of continued investment and improvement in public transportation infrastructure.

As one of the largest infrastructure projects of our time, our work for HS2 needs to hit the mark. It is a huge honour to focus on station design, and work on plans that create opportunities for people and their communities by integrating it into its current and future context.

At Old Oak Common, we drew inspiration from the site’s industrial heritage. This design not only pays homage to the Victorian-era train sheds but also creates a welcoming and inspiring space for passengers which is punctuated by its dramatic vaulted roof.

The cathedral-like appearance combines traditional architectural proportions with contemporary engineering aesthetics, making the station a landmark that enhances the user experience and fosters a sense of community, permeability and welcome.

The station will facilitate a new east-west route linking Park Royal and Kensal Green, and a new public space – that will be three times the size of Trafalgar Square – with trees and green space predominantly for local communities. Additionally, it will allow passengers to interchange between HS2, the Elizabeth line, Great Western Railway and Heathrow Express services.

>> Also read: Open doors: Aspiring engineers visit HS2’s Old Oak Common station

A report commissioned by HS2 estimates that the line itself will boost economic development in the area around Old Oak Common by £10bn over the next decade. Planning applications within a 1.5-mile radius around the station have already increased by 22%, therefore the designs anticipate the development of adjacent sites for future office or residential buildings.

The station will be four times the size of the Elizabeth line station at Paddington, and one and a half times the size of London Bridge railway station. We do not take this responsibility lightly, and we expect the station to be a catalyst for urban regeneration that enhances connectivity, economic opportunities, and quality of life for local people.

Enhancing the user experience

We have been involved in the creation of the Elizabeth line and its stations for three decades. Last year, the line won the Stirling Prize, a prestigious British architectural award.

It was a significant win, as transport projects rarely receive architectural recognition and are usually the reserve of engineering-focused awards. It was refreshing to see, because any major infrastructure project, is only successful when architects and engineering teams work collaboratively.

>> Also read: The Elizabeth line: A welcome civic legacy designed to last 120 years

To deliver a successful design strategy for a project so important, architects must consider how people interact with their spaces at a human scale. We upgraded the entrance at Moorgate while keeping it operational through construction – one of the Elizabeth line’s key stations. It now stands out as a welcome illumination in an otherwise shadowy street.

It also seamlessly integrates with our 21 Moorfields oversite development, which houses Deutsche Bank’s headquarters, enhancing the overall urban design. The new ticket hall, escalator boxes and increased natural light create a greater sense of space, scale and movement, prioritising passenger experience and accessibility.

Respecting local communities and surroundings

Projects often have to integrate into existing communities and places that are well established. Change can be difficult, so it is important that we understand who we are designing for and why. This can sometimes mean fixing problems and making improvements to places and infrastructure that is already there.

In Bath, we unlocked a planning challenge which had gone unsolved for over a decade, with the relocation of the bus station to a new site being the key to winning planning consent for the redevelopment of the Southgate Centre. The new bus station had to be designed on a tight and sensitive site in the centre of Bath – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Our game-changing moment came when we looked at the relationship with Bath Spa train station. We realised that the ramp to the platforms, which was historically for a horse and carriage, could be removed with little impact.

It freed up space for the creation of a new civic square celebrating arrival into Bath for bus and train customers and created a safe environment for interchange, while simultaneously liberating Brunel’s viaduct structure which was converted to commercial uses that activated the new square.

It was absolutely essential that we were sensitive to the surrounding architecture, and through designs that were considerate to heritage and integration we created a worthy gateway into the city of Bath and a people-focused, safe environment for all users. This project exemplifies how human-centred design can solve longstanding challenges and enhance the user experience, ensuring that infrastructure serves the community effectively.

Creating places fit for the future

If the government can successfully deliver on the ambitions for infrastructure, as it has laid out in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the benefits will extend far beyond transport itself. We will create cities that are more connected, resilient, adaptable and thriving for generations to come.

We only have to look at the real-life examples that exist today – like Stratford Station. It is the terminus of the Jubilee Line extension, which we delivered in the 1990s. It was one of the projects that marked our ability to think about architecture in urban, strategic and engineering-aware terms, and it was the keystone of regeneration and growth in Stratford.

The transformation was the first step in the journey of redefining this part of east London into the vibrant area that it is today. This demonstrates the enormous change that well planned and designed infrastructure can bring, and also the time it takes for the benefits to come to full fruition. The timescales require patience and, above all, commitment through the whole process and the will to see it through.

The majority of major projects go through difficult periods, as seen originally with the Elizabeth line and currently with HS2, with the risk of diminishing returns. Of course, processes must be improved, and we have high hopes that the newly formed National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority will be a significant step in the right direction.

But to build a sustainable future, infrastructure must be designed with people at the core of the plan. That means collaboration between architects and planners from the start, so we can truly understand who spaces are for, how they are used and the difference they will make to the wider community.

By prioritising human-centred design, we can create infrastructure that not only meets practical needs but also enriches the lives of those who use it, fostering community growth and enhancing quality of life.

Bosco Lam is a director at WilkinsonEyre