Ribbon-cutting ceremony signals official opening of Aldgate Square

Gillespies joined Charles Bowman, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, for a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open Aldgate Square. The ceremony commenced with a series of performances by children from the nearby Sir John Cass’s Foundation Primary School, followed by a speech from the Lord Mayor, who then ceremoniously cut the ribbon.

The £25m redevelopment for The City of London Corporation, with funding and support from the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL), took over seven years to complete and involved the re-routing of the existing gyratory to create two large public spaces, as well as a tranquil garden setting for the Grade I listed St Botolph Without Aldgate Church.

The main square – which houses a contemporary pavilion designed by Make Architects – provides an enlivened space for Londoners to enjoy throughout the year. The square consists of an oval lawn area and bespoke water feature, surrounded by seating, soft planting and trees.

Gillespies were responsible for the delivery of the new high quality public realm, square and expanded churchyard gardens.

The completion of the square has not only significantly improved the appearance of the area but also the air quality within this part of London, signalling the importance of investing in high quality public realms.

Watch this short film to hear more about the new square.