Marlborough Sports Garden, Southwark, London – Bankside Open Spaces Trust with Cullinan Studio

The Marlborough Sports Garden is a rare outdoor space providing much-needed access to physical activity, sport, and leisure pursuits. This plan will continue the focus on the local public health agenda, and the move to mitigate against childhood obesity and inactivity.

Where is the project located 
11-25 Union Street, London, SE1 1SD
 
Who is the developer/client of the project?
Bankside Open Spaces Trust
 
Who is on the project team?
Cullinan Studio

 
Describe the context of this project, its neighbourhood and people?

The Marlborough Sports Garden is a rare outdoor space providing much-needed access to physical activity, sport, and leisure pursuits. The land was originally secured as a recreation ground for the people of Southwark in 1921. By 2000, the space had fallen into disrepair and was threatened with development. The Bankside Open Spaces Trust (BOST) lobbied for the space to be safeguarded. Following two phases of refurbishment, this third phase will help BOST realise their vision to provide a state-of-the-art mixed sports facility that is freely available to everyone, but in particular local school pupils and those who are living in poverty. 

This project remains focused on the local public health agenda, and the move to mitigate against childhood obesity and inactivity, an agenda which has been exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions on movement.

With eight primary schools (over 3,000 pupils) within walking distance of the Marlborough Sports Garden, and two adjoining the site, children are the biggest users of the space. This has informed BOST’s vision to create an environment where children and young people can find it easier to eat well, exercise more, develop a love for and proficiency in many sports, and establish healthy habits for life.

 
Please describe your approach to this future place and its mix of uses. How will it function as a vibrant place? How does it knit into, and serve the needs of, the wider area?

Central to Cullinan Studio’s design is that every space and every object does more than one thing. A new, flexible entrance, events, café and training building becomes a climbable structure, as both seating for spectators and step exercises for classes and individuals – raising aerobic potential and viewpoints. A slide provides a fun way down as a reward for stepping up. High perimeter fences can host climbing plants, banners and giant posters. 

Tall props hosting climbing plants will create a distinctive frieze on Union Street, announcing Marlborough Sports Garden to the city. Bold and colourful signage, with supergraphics on walls, ground surfaces and soffits, will define spaces whilst bringing a sense of fun and energy to the Sports Garden.

The new entrance building will serve as shop window for Marlborough’s activities to Union Street – exercise classes in the outdoor classroom, bay windows to the café that offers healthy food and the framed view of the sports on site all help to promote the activities on offer. A first floor viewing gallery offers panoramic views across the whole site.

The designs have been developed with a community engagement strategy aimed to consult a wide range of local stakeholders including residents, current site users, local businesses, community groups and private organisations and to liaise with Council Officers and Cabinet

Members. BOST’s approach to community engagement had three-stages (‘discover’, ‘develop’ and ‘deliver’), to establish and evidence buy-in from local people and to cultivate a group of advocates, supporters and champions.

 
What is the environmental impact of the project? How will the carbon use and material impact of the development be mitigated? What is the sustainability strategy?

BOST and the design team are united in their ambition to make the hub as carbon neutral and circular economy compliant as possible, from the materials used to build the community facility, to the operation of the café and sports activities. The rational structural grid ensures simple construction and reduction of waste. This arrangement provides the best opportunity for reusing reclaimed materials. 

The main structure has been designed with reclaimed steel columns, covered by a reclaimed structural timber roof. Both systems have been designed to utilise materials which are standard in size, readily available and locally sourced. The external walls start with re-used brick at the base, clad in reclaimed metal panelling – with a clerestory window/bright coloured secondary material to give a vibrant ‘sports’ aesthetic. A treated salvaged timber deck will be used on the spectator seating and viewing deck to create a cohesive and durable area.

Rainwater will be collected from the new roof and used as grey water for the toilets and PVs provides energy to the community building.

Generous planting to the main elevation replaces the harsh black railings that are currently at the entrance to the site. Climbing plants frame the view into activity within the Sports Garden. A south facing sensory herb garden catches plenty of sun and is hoped to provide ingredients for the café or healthy eating classes – providing an learning opportunity connected to nature. These margins can provide a garden backdrop to the main event – the sports and activities.
 
Describe the social impact of the project: How will this future place contribute to the economic, environmental and social wellbeing of its citizens?  

Evidence accepted in central Government from Public Health England clearly demonstrates the benefits of access to spaces to be active in and there are several key challenges that inspire the work at the Marlborough:• Areas of Borough and Bankside score highly on the Multiple Deprivation Index.

• Southwark has the highest rate of childhood obesity at year 6 of any local authority in England.

• Local Primary schools have precious little outdoor space and do not have sports facilities.

• There is a severe deficiency of open green space and many local households are overcrowded. Around 89% of local housing is flats with little to no private outdoor space.

• Residents face other challenges of inner-city living including high air pollution and a proliferation of fast-food and convenience which encourages a poor diet and inactivity.

• Locally, just over a quarter of children aged 0-15 are living in households claiming out of work benefits. This is significantly higher than Southwark borough average and indicates high levels of child poverty.

Marlborough’s core programmes aim to encourage a love of sport from an early age, creating lasting participation through to adulthood. This has many positive health implications, not least on obesity; children who are overweight or obese are likely to remain so in later life.

The improved facilities, including a new community hub and café, will help BOST to achieve their wider vision to establish healthy habits for life through a more holistic programme, encompassing principles of healthy eating and wellbeing.