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Albion Square, Hull

Transforming Hull city centre with dynamic resilient vibrant urban parkland.

Kingston upon Hull, UK

Concept visual of Albion Square, Hull, showing a nature led urban park with wetland planting, sinuous water features, a pedestrian bridge, and tree lined public spaces animated by people.
Concept visual of Albion Square, Hull, illustrating a vibrant urban park shaped by wetland planting

Gillespies provided landscape design and implementation and the Townscape Visual Impact Appraisal for the Albion Square development, a £96M transformative regeneration project for Hull City Centre.

The Albion Square mixed-used development will redefine an existing urban block with commercial and residential uses, framing a new urban park at the heart of the scheme.

The park invites nature back into the heart of the city. A central pedestrian spine is framed with tables and chairs along an activity axis. Nestled within the swathes of wild flower meadows and ornamental lawns is a sculptural landform that promotes activity, exploration, play and fitness. 
 
A climate-resilient approach celebrates the management of storm water, with a series of interlinked ponds that are allowed to overflow into the wider park. The park acts as a sponge for surface run-off from the new development and surrounding streets. The result is a dynamic and ever-changing park landscape where the sinuous water features rise and fall depending on the weather, to create either parkland or urban wetland.

Aerial concept plan of Albion Square
Aerial concept plan of Albion Square

The project is being delivered by Hull City Council’s construction partner Vinci Construction.

Albion Square was unanimously approved by Hull City Council’s planning committee in October 2022.

endered view of an urban park with a central wetland pond, meadow planting, mature trees, stepped seating, and pathways, with people gathering and walking through the landscaped space.
The park invites nature back into the heart of the city
The park invites nature back into the heart of the city
Rendered view of a tree lined pedestrian promenade beside a wetland pond, with benches, meadow planting, and people walking, sitting, and gathering within a nature led urban park.
Tree lined pedestrian promenade within a nature led urban park
Rain gardens will manage storm water in the city centre
Rain gardens will manage storm water in the city centre

Project details

Title

Albion Square, Hull

Client

Hull City Council and Vinci Construction UK

Status

Planning Granted

Project team

Gillespies I Faulkner Browns Architects I Mott MacDonald I Hoare Lea I Pegasus I Local Transport Projects

Gillespies team

Adam Greatrix

Photography

CGI (c) Gillespies