The Park within Elephant Park

The park is the centrepiece of the Elephant Park Masterplan, an ambitious regeneration project by Lendlease and Southwark Council that is breathing new life into Elephant and Castle. The landmark project will deliver 300 new homes, 50 shops, restaurants, and cafes with 11 acres of thoughtfully designed public spaces, including the brand new park.

Gillespies is the public realm masterplanner for the entire Elephant Park development and the landscape architect for several plots, including the new centrepiece park.

At 2-acres, the Park provides a green haven in London’s zone one where the local community can relax, play, exercise and socialise. Comprising large lawns, rain gardens, pedestrian walkways nestled within naturalistic planting and the landmark water playscape, Elephant Springs, the Park plays a crucial role in combatting climate change, providing new habitats for wildlife, managing rainwater, and creating a healthier environment for everyone.

The Park has been designed to deliver a year-round, multi-sensory experience. The incorporation of rain gardens ensures the urban site can mimic the natural water cycle and reduce its reliance on the surrounding networks. The rain gardens are designed to consider future extreme climate change affected rainfall intensities and 100-year frequency storm events. The gardens provide pockets of colour, height, texture and scent, igniting all the senses and attracting wildlife, including bees, birds and butterflies.

A central feature, Elephant Springs is a rocky, water-world of fountains, waterfalls and sandy beaches. It was created from 300 tons of Italian porphyry stone, chosen for its hard-wearing and slip-resistant properties when wet, sourced and supplied by Hardscape, and fabricated by their sister company IP Surfaces Ltd, and a series of water fountains and pumps by the Fountain Workshop. Elephant Springs is somewhere for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy all year round.