A decade or three ago, I roamed along Kings Road Chelsea and witnessed the extroadinary life of the Kings Road community and those parading up and down the road. This being the mid 1970s and the time when the Kings Road was in full bloom with its fashions. shops, music and loads of other trend setting cultural happenings.
It was here that I first saw a punk in real life. She had bright green hair in a cocks comb standing about 20 to 30cm on her head. She also wore the mandatory large safety pins in a battered leather short jacket.
I remember buying a paisley shirt or two and maybe a trendy overcoat (wild thing!!).
The street life on Kings Road was just as much an attraction as the fashion shops. Yes, it was crowded and strolling along the footpaths was difficult as they were always packed with roamers, promenaders, tourists and even a few locals. But that was the attraction.
Visiting the same street in 2006, I have to say that things have changed; just a little!!
This area has moved up a social scale or two and slowly the shopping has become more international style rather than having its own local character. But it is still a fabulous street and neighbourhood to roam about for an hour or two.
It was while roaming about here one evening that I first noticed this new square, being just down from the Sloane Square Tube. The reason it stands out is that there aren't many new squares in this neck of the woods. And this new public space was along more contemporary lines rather than being one of the usual green parks or squares of London. On the evening I first saw it, the square's cafes were busy and the area was reasonably full of people. The next day I managed to find some preliminary information on the space via a web site and so returned a few days later to snap some photos.
What I observed was a fairly slick open space attached to a small shopping precinct. It was good to see the space being open rather than enclosed as some form of mall or arcade.
The morning I was there was a quiet one, which I suspect is usual for this area where the street life starts closer to lunch time. The markets were still setting up and even the security was standing around looking for something or someone to secure.
There has been a successful effort to have nice details in the general use seating and with some of the planters. Although I did wonder whether the basket planters were part of the original design or had been added later by the owners. Artwork had been successfully integrated in the pavement - telling the story of 'the king's road'; I think..
Given the fact that it is a new contemporary open space on a heritage site in this now fairly conservative area, the design was probably quite a big step and is probably as exciting as would be accepted in this locale. I doubt that the present clientele would want anything more and guaging by its use on the two short visits, most likley very popular amongst local families and shoppers looking for space to take a breath and meet up for coffee.
So as a new public open space, it works. It is people friendly and offers a different experience to the usual London park. Generally the place felt welcoming given the openess, the outside cafe facilities and the provision of public seating. It seems to have been designed to serve multiple functions and chances are that it works for those reasons. Shopping: Chance to wander along a couple of small lanes. Cafes: All seem to have customers and it is good to have the option to sit out in the sun but not be on a busy footpath and close to traffic. Events: There is ample space for markets without impinging on pedestrian access. Space and seating: Enough open space to meet, to sit and to be idle in comfort.
Passing through? Yes, it is worth a look and maybe a coffee.
3 footnotes: I was to read later of the heritage value of the site and how the development was planned to incorporate both the old and the new. I think the locals probably appreciated this more than people such as myself, being just a tourist passing through.
and I did notice that someone had carried out work recently and had removed some pavers to do so. They had poured concrete back to fill some of the spaces and in others used replacement pavers that did not match. The woes of maintenance once the job is handed over!
and I did not see that punk again. or any equivalent. seems they hang out elswhere or it was too early in the day.
The pictures tell the rest of the story.
>> project page on the Duke of York Square
Paul Costigan November 2006
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