A Place to Belong - Vision
Our initial reaction to the brief is rooted in the rich cultural and social history of the site at New Goulston Street, positioned at a key gateway between Whitechapel High Street and the historic market streets of Wentworth and Middlesex.

The Petticoat Lane area has long been shaped by successive waves of migration and commerce. From the arrival of Huguenot weavers in the late 17th century, who helped establish local textile trades, to late 19th- and early 20th-century Eastern European Jewish communities central to the garment and rag trade, the area has continually evolved through patterns of settlement, exchange, and making. In more recent decades, South Asian, African, and Caribbean communities have further enriched the cultural identity of the neighbourhood.

Petticoat Lane Market, one of London’s oldest and most recognisable street markets, continues this legacy today, operating as a vibrant hub for clothing, food, and everyday social interaction.

Our vision for the pocket park is to reflect this layered history by creating a welcoming place to pause, meet, and gather. Anchored by the presence of the Colombian coffee company, the space would encourage dwell time, informal encounters, and shared rituals, becoming a small but meaningful civic space that celebrates the diversity and vitality of its surroundings.