Forgotten for years, these days, the canals are one of London's worst kept secrets for weekend walks, where you can leave the bustling of the city without really leaving it. Once derelict, more and more people can see their value these days. Its renewed popularity makes them an attractive place for business. But, where is the line between public benefit and private profit? What makes a public space truly successful?
As part of the walk participants are encouraged to become urban explores, and to take pictures of the different public spaces visited and how people use them, the role of the light, the height and bulk of buildings… for more prompts on what to observe, Minerva invites attendees to visit this link prior to the walk.
Starting in King’s Cross, you will walk around the former Great Northern Railway Co’s Goods Yard and Kings Cross Central, one of central London’s biggest developments. Then you will walk Regents Canal towards Hackney, leaving the water level to walk through Angel, as the Islington Tunnel can only be crossed by barge.
For the last part of the walk you will rejoin the canal and look into the adaptive reuse of industrial buildings, new mixed-use developments, two major estate regeneration projects (the Packington and Colville Estates) and will look at the extent to which both new and adaptive projects consider the ecosystem of the canal and the local character of the area.
Please wear comfortable shoes as pavement on the canals is uneven in some areas, and a water bottle. Public toilets are available in King’s Cross and Angel.
Walk starts in front of German Gymnasium Restaurant, 1 King's Boulevard London N1C 4BU
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