Flanders Way
Homerton
In 2019 a team of local young people designed and built a prominent public space at Flanders Way, Hackney. The project, known as Build Up Hackney, aimed to give young people a genuine say over how their local area is changing.
Located on a formerly unloved and litter-covered thoroughfare, Flanders Way public space is now a well-used community space featuring a circular seating area with integrated swings, new lighting and an exciting playful border.
The project was set up in response to the Hackney Wick Through Young Eyes report, which found that local young people do not feel that they are informed about, involved in, or benefiting from the way their area is changing. Build Up aimed to address this problem by giving young people power over an important space in their community, and supported them to design and build their ideas for it.
Build Up Hackney was a collaboration with youth organisation Hackney Quest and supported by over 100 volunteers. It was funded through a crowdfund campaign backed by 300 local people, and supported by The London Borough of Hackney, Mayor of London, Wick Award, The Worshipful Company of Builders’ Merchants, Lawsons Timber, Building & Fencing Supplies, Makita Power Tools, C&S Builders Merchants, Real Deals for You, Engie and Span Group.
