The Park at Elephant Park
Reconnecting people with nature and reviving community spirit in Elephant and Castle
Elephant and Castle, London, UK
The Park at Elephant Park is a stunning green oasis and the cornerstone of Elephant & Castle’s revitalisation by Lendlease and Southwark Council. We've created an inclusive, sustainable space offering unforgettable social and recreational experiences, giving everyone a chance to slow down and connect with nature.
Elephant Park is the £2.3 billion regeneration of Elephant and Castle into one of London’s most exciting and sustainable urban destinations. Led by Lendlease in partnership with Southwark Council, this visionary redevelopment has opened up the area with 11 acres of beautifully designed public spaces, pedestrian-friendly streets, and green throughways for cyclists.
Built on the site of the former Heygate Estate, the site has been reimagined as a thriving, connected neighbourhood with over 3,000 new homes, more than 50 new retail spaces and a wealth of community-focused spaces.
Gillespies is the public realm masterplanner for the entire Elephant Park development and the landscape architect for several plots, including the new centrepiece park.
A park designed for people and nature
At the heart of this transformation, we have created a brand new community park. Spanning 2 acres and serving as the centrepiece of the new Elephant Park community, this park is a stunning green addition to London’s Zone One. It offers a vibrant space where the community can unwind, play, exercise, and connect. With its expansive lawns, colourful rain gardens, and meandering pedestrian paths framed by lush planting, the Park is anchored by the striking Elephant Springs water playscape and the Tree House, a new community pavilion by Bell Phillips, which offers visitors the unique opportunity to ascend above the tree canopies for views across the parkland.
Elephant Springs is an engaging water playscape featuring fountains, waterfalls, and sandy shores, crafted in collaboration with the Fountain Workshop. Constructed from 300 tons of resilient Italian porphyry stone, known for its durability and slip resistance, Elephant Springs provides a safe yet adventurous playground for all ages and abilities.
"There is an exciting new natural stone and water landscape in London. Elephant Springs, located in Elephant Park in South London and designed by landscape architects Gillespies in collaboration with artist Mel Chantry of The Fountain Workshop, blends greenery, natural materials and water features in a sculptural environment that is open to all."
Ellie Stathaki, Wallpaper Magazine
A landscape built for biodiversity and resilience
The park is an ecologically rich environment designed to thrive and support the city. Carefully designed rain gardens mimic the natural water cycle, managing rainfall while enhancing the park’s beauty with seasonal bursts of colour, texture, and fragrance. These biodiverse planting areas add visual interest while also providing essential habitats for bees, birds, and butterflies, enriching the local ecosystem.
The planting strategy blends native and non-native species, creating a multi-layered landscape that enhances biodiversity and supports urban resilience. With a focus on ecological health, air quality, and urban cooling, the park has been designed to withstand the challenges of climate change while offering a tranquil retreat in the heart of the city.
The quality of the design, diversity of users, and proximity to transport links is already attracting visitors from far and wide, increasing investment in the area and adding to its already rich culture. Surrounded by a unique mix of local and independent restaurants, cafes and shops, the Park truly caters for the broad diversity and demographic of Elephant & Castle.
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.
Award
Year
NLA Award - Placemaking
2021
ROSPA Play Safety Awards for Publicly Accessible Playgrounds
2022
Developer Magazine Pineapple Awards - Public Space of the Year
2022
Silver World Architecture News WAN award for Urban Landscape
2022
Natural Stone Awards - Landscape (Commercial & Public Realm) - Elephant Springs
2022
World Landscape Architecture - Merit Award for Large Landscape Design
2024
Civic Trust - The Tree House
2024
Project details
Title
The Park at Elephant Park
Client
LendLease and Southwark Council
Status
Complete
Project team
Gillespies, Mel Chantrey of Fountain Workshop, Buro Happold, Speirs and Major, Willerby Landscapes, Treeworks Environmental Practice, Bell Philips, Careys Group
Gillespies team
Armel Mourgue, Neil Matthew, Busra Yilmaz, Patrick Conn, Giacomo Guzzon
Photography
John Sturrock
