Smithfield Market
Smithfield Market
We have been closely involved with the Smithfield district for over 40 years, both as a resident business and through our professional involvement in projects large and small.
We first advised Crossrail on the potential impacts of tunnelling-related settlement on listed buildings before working on early concept designs for the redevelopment of the General Market, with an engineering focus on the lids of the cut and cover rail tunnels and their relationship with the market buildings. We have also advised on projects at key, neighbouring institutions including Barts Hospital, the Charterhouse and the Church of St Bartholomew the Great.
We then undertook a pioneering study of the wider area for Transport for London: The Farringdon Urban Design Study (compiled with East) looked at the potential impacts of the new rail links on an already overstretched street pattern. Then, for the City of London we contributed to the Culture Mile Look and Feel Strategy, collaborating with Fluid, combining transport and conservation advice, analysing character and highlighting opportunities.
Recently, with the meat market due to move out of its historic home, we have been helping to plan for the future of the market and its urban setting, as part of the City’s Culture Mile strategy. We provided conservation and engineering input to Studio Egret West’s study of potential new uses for Horace Jones’ iconic Grade II* listed market buildings. Our conservation team also analysed the wider public realm, looking particularly at the survival – sometimes hidden beneath later tarmac – of the historic granite setts and York Stone paving, to inform proposals being developed by Hawkins\Brown.
Client: Various
Architect: Studio Egret West and Hawkins\Brown
Images: Courtesy of Studio Egret West