Finsbury Square
Transformation of a former underground car park
Finsbury Square is a public space transformation in London, converting an underground car park into a layered civic landscape with co-working, retail, and a revitalised park. The design reshapes the square to create a more connected, accessible, and programmatically rich urban environment, responding to the shifting rhythms of the city and its users.
At the core of the proposal is the reactivation of the existing substructure, where carved openings and sculpted landforms introduce daylight, views, and new points of access between the park and the spaces below. This vertical layering of programme integrates civic, commercial, and social functions, transforming the square into a dynamic urban platform that supports both everyday activity and larger public events.
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Finsbury Square – A Layered Civic Landscape in London
Finsbury Square is a transformative urban design proposal that reimagines a central London park as a layered, mixed-use civic landscape. Located at the edge of the financial district, the project responds to the dual rhythms of the city—serving as an active workplace extension during the week and a relaxed, community-oriented park on weekends.
At the core of the design is the adaptive reuse of the existing underground car park, which is reconfigured into a vibrant substructure housing co-working spaces, a conference centre, retail, and food and beverage programmes. This transformation repositions previously hidden infrastructure as an active and integral part of the public realm.
The ground plane is carefully reshaped to create a more connected and permeable urban environment. Gentle, sculpted landforms lift and fold the park surface, allowing daylight to reach the spaces below while establishing new access points and circulation routes that bridge across the site. This approach enhances both movement and spatial continuity within the square.
Two large elliptical oculi are introduced as key architectural elements, bringing natural light deep into the subterranean levels and creating visual connections between above and below. These openings are designed as landscaped courtyards, functioning as outdoor rooms that support social interaction and extend the use of the spaces beneath into the open air.
The landscape strategy prioritises biodiversity and continuity with the existing context. Mature trees are retained and integrated into the new design, complemented by additional planting that enriches the ecological quality of the square. A refined material palette, including textured paving, reinforces the identity of the space while responding to its architectural surroundings.
Finsbury Square demonstrates how underutilised infrastructure can be transformed into a dynamic, multi-layered public realm—one that integrates work, leisure, and community life within a cohesive and environmentally responsive urban landscape.
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Location: London, United Kingdom
Project Size: 9,600 m² / 103,333 ft²
Client: Angelo Gordon
Themes: Landscape | Work | Public Space
Collaborators: Renders by Norm Li
