Designing the Magic Carpet at Nutford Place, City of Westminster for Portman Estate and Westminster City Council with Root And Erect and Marble Arch BID

Designing the Magic Carpet at Nutford Place, City of Westminster for Portman Estate and Westminster City Council with Root And Erect and Marble Arch BID

 

Throughout September 2025, Westminster City Council and The Portman Estate, in collaboration with design consultants Root and Erect, delivered a month-long programme of events and workshops at Nutford Place titled Designing the Magic Carpet. It was designed to engage the local community and trial site-specific interventions and activities. Insights gathered during this activation are now being used to shape the brief for a longer-term transformation of the space.

 

youtu.be/gS0VFaceCzI?si=F-hZP2pgUf58b9BU&t=5589

 

Describe The Context Of This Project And Its Neighbourhood And People.

 

Westminster City Council’s Place Shaping team, in collaboration with The Portman Estate, is working to enhance and enliven Nutford Place — the only public space along the southern stretch of Edgware Road high street. The Paddington - Bayswater High Street Programme and Nutford Place project is led by Westminster City Council’s Place Shaping team. Temporary Activation In September 2025, a temporary four-week pop-up activation called Designing the Magic Carpet was delivered in partnership with Root and Erect and The Portman Estate, designed to engage the local community and trial a series of site-specific interventions and activities. Insights gathered during this activation are now being used to shape the brief for a longer-term transformation of the space. The site is a primary public space located on the southern section of Edgware Road high street. It sits within the Marylebone ward, the Marble Arch BID area and is within the Portman Estate conservation area. The surrounding context includes a mix of ground-floor uses, predominately F&B, with residential units above. It provides pedestrian access to Hampton Gurney primary school from Edgware Road. Despite its strategic location, the space is currently underutilised and faces several challenges:
Limited seating and lack of inviting areas for dwell time
Insufficient lighting, reducing comfort and perception of safety
Incidents of anti-social behaviour at Nutford Place, as well as along Edgware Road and Forset Street.
Noise conflicts affecting residents in upper floors
Cleanliness and pollution issues, including grease and litter as well as air pollution from Edgware Road.

 

Tell Us What You Did And How It Created A Child-Friendly Place?

 

Root and Erect were selected to deliver their pop-up proposal, providing an opportunity to test site activity and introduce an art intervention while gathering community feedback to inform the future direction of Nutford Place.
The temporary activation served as a live testing ground for ideas that could shape the long-term transformation of the space, trialling ideas relating to celebrating local history and communities, and exploring how elements such as seating, wayfinding, and play could help enliven the streetscape and create a more welcoming public realm.
Through a series of temporary pop-up events, participants were invited to co-create the ‘Magic Carpet’ via artist-led Pattern and 3D sculpture workshops. These sessions encouraged users to engage with the site through design while sharing personal stories and reflections on Nutford Place. By exploring the history and cultural significance of geometry and pattern-making with a mix of young people, residents, and high street users, the design of the ‘Magic Carpet’ was shaped to reflect the varied needs and uses of the space.
Once the ‘Magic Carpet’ installation was in place, a range of user groups were invited to test the site’s social and spatial constraints through two celebratory events: an After-School Play Day and a Community Feast Day. These activations were designed to explore how a long-term project at Nutford Place could support interaction, creativity, and belonging while also strengthening connections with the Marylebone community through a meanwhile-use of the space.

 

Please Explain The Governance Of The Project, Describing Its Viability And Any Consultation And Community Engagement Undertaken. Were Children Consulted?

 

The month-long activation of Nutford Place tested different methods of animating the space through play-focused activities, cultural programming, and community engagement sessions tailored to diverse audiences. Early consultation included Hampden Gurney Primary School PTA and outreach to ward councillors and community groups such as the Marylebone Bangladeshi Society, Mosaic Community Trust, and Hyde Park Estate Residents Association. Partnerships with local businesses provided logistical support and food contributions.
Approximately 350-400 people attended the four events in, and the impact was measured through Commonplace survey data, event participation, and observation of dwell time.
Survey results from 93 respondents showed 57% of respondents were happy or satisfied with the programme, 38% neutral (mostly non-attendees), and only 5% dissatisfied. Feedback praised the family-friendly activities, with requests for more regular events. Key suggestions included introducing more greenery, ensuring proper upkeep, and reflecting local heritage and culture.
One immediate impact was a shift in how the space was used and perceived. Previously associated with anti-social behaviour, it saw noticeable improvement during the activation, with increased footfall and visible engagement from families contributing to a sense of safety and ownership. One participant noted: “This is amazing to see the square used like this. We just spoke to the council about having our cake sale here, something we haven’t been able to do before”.