EdCity, located in the White City Estate is a not-for-profit partnership between national education charity Ark and Hammersmith & Fulham Council. As an education charity, Ark’s aim is to ensure that children across all backgrounds have access to excellent education. They asked BD to be part of the team transforming the site, into a multifacility community hub and the jewel of their estate.
Our designs for the landscape look to create a vibrant, flexible public realm to unite the diverse mix of groups proposed for the site. Our process was driven by stakeholder engagement with the school, the youth zone operator, the nursery, and local residents and community centres within the estate – as well as Ark themselves. This engagement focused our vision for landscape spaces to encourage people of all backgrounds and ages to socialise, learn, and play together in a safe, healthy and enriching environment.
The central element of our public realm design has been a linear, pedestrianised, boulevard which weaves together the different volumes. A huge range of mature tree planting, including ten-metre tall London planes, pines, and umbrella-form birches, look over ornamental and flower-rich raingardens; opening the site up to the surrounding estate. The final landscape scheme will create a vibrant public realm that unites the diverse mix of stakeholders proposed for the site. It will provide spaces for people of all backgrounds and ages to socialise, learn and play together in a safe, healthy and enriching environment.
Phase one of the project was finished in 2024 and already looks lush and verdant, covering the Ark Swift Primary School, new Ark headquarters and sports zone. Phase two is well under way and due for completion in 2025, to include; Harmony Nursery, Adult Community Education Centre alongside affordable housing for local people.
Client: Ark Schools
Architects: TP Bennett
Landscape Budget: circa £1.5m
Status: Completed in 2025
“This expansive scheme that we have been working on for well over a decade is split over five volumes across multiple phases with a variety of end users and stakeholders.  It has been a real challenge and the strong design team relationships have helped to shape the final proposals. I am looking forward to seeing the planting, in particular, establish over the coming years to create a strong green thread through the site; in line with our original design intent from back in 2016!“
Emma Santamaria (Senior Associate, BD)
