Community Planting Day at Leathermarket Gardens
- Nov 1, 2025
- 1 min read
Updated: 4 hours ago
A milestone in long-term, resident-led public realm regeneration.
NOOMA Studio recently held a community planting day at Leathermarket Gardens in Bermondsey, delivered in collaboration with local residents for the London Borough of Southwark and Leathermarket JMB.
The event marked the culmination of a four-year process of patient, trust-based collaboration within a neighbourhood experiencing rapid change. Throughout the design development, conversations around play, planting, parking, safety and shared use directly informed the evolving landscape strategy.
Existing materials were reinterpreted creatively, including the reuse of concrete pipes as robust planters and the introduction of a new playable bridge element that supports imaginative use. Seating, routes and planting were shaped to balance active and quiet zones, ensuring the space works for children, families and older residents alike.
The planting day itself demonstrated how co-design can extend beyond consultation into shared authorship. By physically participating in the making of the landscape, residents strengthened their sense of ownership and long-term stewardship.
The project reflects a belief that successful public realm regeneration depends as much on relationships as on design.
