Winning design for ‘21st century’ London police boxes unveiled
Traditional police boxes in the Square Mile are set to be reimagined as ‘Digital Service Points’, with the winning design by architecture and design studio Unknown Works unveiled earlier this week.
The new Digital Service Points will include space for digital information screens, essential communication technology, and storage of life-saving emergency equipment, alongside serving as hubs for City of London police officers and community engagement.
The competition was run by City of London Corporation, City of London Police, New London Architecture and Bloomberg Associates, and was developed out of a public and stakeholder engagement exercise looking at security in the city, as part of the Secure City Programme, which aims to deliver safety improvements for residents, workers and visitors of the Square Mile.
Chairman of the Streets and Walkways Sub Committee at the City of London Corporation, Graham Packham, said: ‘This thrilling design by Unknown Works has transformed the humble police box into an innovative and creative “Digital Service Point” which is entirely suitable for the 21st Century and will serve the Square Mile’s residents, workers and visitors long into the future.
‘This winning concept design provides the blueprint for a key piece of infrastructure for the Square Mile, while also being sustainable and entirely complimentary to the unique City environment.’
The design is in line with the City of London Corporation’s climate strategy, using sustainable construction materials, natural lighting and passive ventilation, as well as containing solar panels and the capacity to monitor pollution levels.
The exterior of the structures will host a vast array of lichen colonies and species, which will evolve in colour and appearance over the course of their growth, alongside digital carvings of details from building, stories and images of the Square Mile throughout history and its future.
Director and co-founder of Unknown Works, Theo Games Petrohilos, said: ‘This project sets out a real ambition for changing the way that people engage with the City, its story and the police – and we’re delighted to have been chosen along with our project team to take this work further.’
Temporary Commander at the City of London Police, Dai Evans, congratulated the winning team: ‘Congratulations to winners Unknown Works on the innovative and impactful design. The London Stones will not only provide an essential technological update to the way members of the public report crime, but will also embrace the rich history of policing in the City and our long standing relationship with our communities.’
In related news, work is underway on a programme to repaint and refurbish the much-loved millennium milepost waymarkers that line the route throughout the National Cycle Network.
Photo supplied by City of London Corporation