Designing London National Park City

What if cities were designed as spaces for both people and wildlife to thrive? What if we thought like coots, ducks or peregrines? We’re inviting you on an audio journey along the 200-year-old Regent's Canal. Taking a bird's eye view, it questions whether design can help us become more ecocentric.

Starting at the Islington Tunnel, we follow 15-year-old conservationist Kabir Kaul, as he guides us on a walk east towards the Kingsland Basin Nature Reserve. Along the way, we hear from designers, thinkers, activists, and residents who are transforming our place in nature, and nature’s place in London National Park City.

Speakers include award-winning designers Studio Ossidiana and Thomas Thwaites, author Richard Smyth, Bridget McKenzie of Climate Museum UK, Wildlife Gardeners of Haggerston and more.

Although this is not strictly a guided walk, we encourage everyone who can to go out and enjoy this audio journey on the Canal - recommended starting point is at Islington Tunnel, walking east towards Kingsland Basin Nature Reserve (a leisurely 40mn walk). This is an experience designed for individuals to enjoy using their own phone and headset. Nevertheless, please observe current social distancing guidelines.

The audio journey was conceived by There Project, with sound design by Deborah Ridley, for London National Park City. London National Park City is a place, a vision and a movement to improve life in London by making it greener, healthier and wilder. In our eyes, it is also a perfect collaborative design brief, and one we are keen for the design community to take on.

Press release
Variations on a Birdcage, Studio Ossidiana, 2020
Kingsland Basin © Marc Atkinson