Thornton Heath building front improvement & flank wall graphics project
High Street Vision, Shopfront & Building Frontage Improvements and Public Art
YOU&ME were appointed by Croydon Council to work on extensive improvement works in Thornton Heath Town Centre. The construction budget includes 28 shopfront improvement works, high level building frontage refurbishments, welcome graphics and flank wall mural artworks. The project was delivered in parallel with public realm improvements and is one of Croydon Council’s 16 places Regeneration Initiatives.
YOU&ME acted as lead consultants on the project working alongside community engagement experts Daisy Froud (formerly AOC Participation) and Public Archeologist James Dixon to develop a cohesive design strategy which reflects the area’s social and built heritage, the special characteristics of Thornton Heath’s suburban form and its ‘hidden’ heritage as well as its diverse ethnic mix. Four Local artists (Philip Dennis, Ben Connors, Mat Pringle & Snapshot Collective) were appointed to develop designs for artworks, curated by YOU&ME and inspired by community engagement creative workshop outputs (see artworks here)
YOU&ME’s initial audit and scoping report identified the arrival experience as a key area of focus, with welcome graphics and station shop improvements. A strategy of clustering of shops and focusing on parades of architectural merit has been adopted to maximise impact.
For more information visit our new High Streets Shopfronts blog here
(Images by YOU&ME, Mat Pringle, Ben Connors & Philip Dennis)