REANIMATING CROYDON’S HIGH STREET

Across London, high streets are continuously declining and new developments are eliminating diversity, resulting in a loss of character in the local high streets. The Borough of Croydon is in a state of decline whilst waiting for the new Westfield development. Spaces commonly seen on high streets such as pubs, black beauty shops and fried chicken shops that provide cultural safe spaces fordifferent community groups are all at risk of closing in the midst of this decline.

This scheme proposes an expansion and protection of these safe spaces through a temporary scheme located in the former Allders department store. It questions to what extent can ameanwhile/temporary scheme provide the community of Croydon with valued and meaningful spaces and reanimate a static high street. The scheme aims to expand these familiar safe spaces anduse them as thresholds into a larger community space that provides access to arts and injects life back into the high street.