Duncan Terrace Garden

Duncan Terrace Garden is one segment of a series of linked and linear public spaces known as the New River Walk. The New River Walk is built over the route of the historic New River, a constructed water channel completed in 1613 to provide a clean water supply to London. The New River runs from its source in Hertfordshire to a reservoir at New River Head (near Sadler's Wells, London EC1). Following initial improvements to sections of the New River Walk at Astley's Row and Pleasant Place, remapp were asked by the London Borough of Islington to produce outline proposals for further sections. Duncan Terrace Gardens represents the first phase of this strategy aimed at revitalizing essential public spaces and viable green routes, within a heavily built up inner-city context. At inception many local residents and potential park users expressed that there was a lack of invitation into what was often characterized as a dark and unsafe place.

The existing dense vegetation, made up of overgrown trees and shrubs, was thinned and reduced to open up sight lines, also enabling opportunities for more diverse and varied microclimates throughout the site. The more dappled shade from the existing canopies, and creation of open sunny places, facilitated new layers of under story planting and a new raised turf area on previously bare and compacted soils. Sequences of seasonally dynamic, colourful, textured layers and mixes of shrubs, perennials, grasses, ferns and bulbs have reanimated the sensory experiences of the garden. New level entrances and paths were installed, to ensure open access for all. A main path weaves through the site with subtle changes of direction, to enhance the experience of the transitions of planting 'rooms', reveal and enlarge the sense of space within an essential linear park, and carefully work around existing tree roots. The layout of the path also evokes the angular route of the now piped and buried New River, uncovered in historic map research. New side entrances and branches of the main path respond to local desire lines and mean there is a regular flow of people through the garden. A timber boardwalk route leads through a grove of trees drawing attention to the qualities of the woodland habitat which encloses it. The very intensively used new turf area is located within the sunniest place in the garden, replacing eroded expanses of tarmac and rose and annual beds. It is raised and framed with a bespoke low wall, (used for sitting), embossed with a rose motif that recalls the old municipal rose beds and gives the garden its own identity.

The process of community engagement was commenced before the design process, and has informed and enriched the design principles at all key stages of the project. The park users are a diverse community, reflecting the social and cultural surroundings, and the park has become an enlivened stage made ever-changing by patterns of weather and seasons. The public garden continues to be maintained and developed by its community gardening group, supported by L.B.I.