Crabtree Fields

DSDHA was commissioned by the London Borough of Camden to sensitively revitalise Crabtree Fields, a beloved pocket park in the heart of Fitzrovia, with a powerful story of community action. Originally a site of typical London terrace homes destroyed during World War II, the area became a car park in the 1950s before campaigning by the Fitzrovia Neighbourhood Association convinced the Greater London Council to transform it into public green space in the 1980s. The resulting design by GLC landscape architect Gill Wynne-Williams cleverly used planting and level changes to create a series of distinct outdoor ‘rooms’. After decades of use, the park required restoration and repair. DSDHA’s approach balanced respect for this heritage with a focus on making the space safer and more welcoming for all users. Key to the design process was working closely with Camden's Green Space team and building upon findings identified by community engagement specialists Something Collective. Workshops with user groups, including women, gender diverse people, and young families, found the park to be associated with antisocial behaviour and to feel 'dark' and 'unsafe' to many park users. DSDHA hosted various community engagement sessions, including a walk-through with women, girls, and non-binary people, whose insights directly informed the interventions, making safety, maintenance, and restoration key priorities.

The team respected the original layout of Crabtree Fields whilst reconceiving the children's play area and restoring the pergola to ensure the park's historic character remained intact. Enhanced sightlines throughout the park improve safety and accessibility. This strategy involves the removal of specific trees to open up the central green space, increase sunlight in planted areas, and improve sight lines to address the safety concerns raised during the community engagement phases.

Working closely with London Wildlife Trust, DSDHA developed a design strategy which optimises the park's biodiversity, fostering an environment in which the age and density of trees on-site host a wide range of wildlife. Spaces for increased sunlight have been provided to support invertebrate species at planting level and encourage growth of understorey planting. The ecological strategy includes a diverse planting scheme which improves the density of planting beds, the careful selection of deep shade plants, and the introduction of herbaceous pollinator plants in sunny areas. This approach ultimately increases the park's insect population, in turn attracting a wider range of bird and bat species, overall improving the biodiversity rating of the site.

These interventions work together to ensure the park's future as an inclusive asset that serves the diverse needs of Fitzrovia's community.