PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
2
LIAM HENN
NESSY, ARC
CHITECT.
JULY 2015
liam.hennessy.arch@
@btinternet.co
om
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson’s, policy document Way to Go! Planning for
better transport, published November 2008, proposed creating a boulevard along
Park Lane by relocating motor traffic in tunnels.
This study proposes a strategy which achieves a major boulevard along Park Lane
in a way that is far simpler, more environmentally friendly, and far less expensive.
The strategy assumes three parameters:
1. Traffic volume capacity should be maintained;
2. Most, if not all, of the existing London Plane trees should be maintained;
3. No tunnels.
The central thesis of the proposal is that cars should be removed from almost all
of the existing southbound carriageway of Park Lane, and relocated along a new
carriageway immediately adjacent to the northbound carriageway. With some
adjustments to the existing northbound carriageway, this can be done.
The place vacated by the existing southbound carriageway will become the most
extensive boulevard in London.
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
The overall aspect of the boulevard, for pedestrians, will be west towards Hyde
Park. This is certainly fortuitous. It is to be hoped that the businesses along the
western edge of Mayfair will appreciate the radically new environment, for the
benefit of those using the new boulevard and, of course, themselves.
Plan on the right: Wasted Space
The area of the inaccessible islands of Park Lane is greater than that of Grosvenor
Square Garden – the green area of Grosvenor Square.
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
INTRODUCTION, WASTED SPACE, AND INACCESSIBILITY
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
VERY LIMITED ACCESS TO HYDE PARK – There are just two locations of direct grade-level pedestrian access from Mayfair to Hyde Park over the 1.2Km length of Park Lane. By contrast, there are seven locations of pedestrian access along an equivalent length of Central Park In New York.
PARK LANE AS A COACH PARK – 20 coach parking spaces add significantly to the disconnect between Hyde Park and Mayfair
DISCONNECT BETWEEN HYDE PARK AND MAYFAIR
VAST ENTRANCE /EXIT TO /FROM PARK LANE CAR PARK – increases the disconnect between Hyde Park and Mayfair
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
2
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
THIS IMAGE AND THE FOLLOWING ONE CONTRAST THE NATURE OF THE TWO CARRIAGEWAY ZONES:
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
THE EXISTING SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY ZONE IS CONGESTED - IT IS A STREET UNDER STRESS
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
THE EXISTING NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY ZONE IS EXPANSIVE
-
THIS GREAT AVENUE OF LONDON PLANE TREES IS AT LEAST 40 METRES WIDE,
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
4
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 1
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
PARK LANE NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 1
PARK LANE NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 2
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 2
PARK LANE AS EXISTING - A SEQUENCE OF VIEWS CONTRASTING THE TWO CARRIAGEWAY ZONES:
EXPANSIVE ON THE LEFT -
CONGESTED ON THE RIGHT
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 3
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
PARK LANE NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 3
PARK LANE NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 4
PARK LANE AS EXISTING - A SEQUENCE OF VIEWS CONTRASTING THE TWO CARRIAGEWAY ZONES:
EXPANSIVE ON THE LEFT -
CONGESTED ON THE RIGHT
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 4
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 6
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 5
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
PARK LANE NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 5
PARK LANE NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 6
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - VIEW 6
PARK LANE AS EXISTING - A SEQUENCE OF VIEWS CONTRASTING THE TWO CARRIAGEWAY ZONES:
EXPANSIVE ON THE LEFT -
CONGESTED ON THE RIGHT
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
NEARBY PRECEDENT IN HYDE PARK, PART OF THE RING FOR HORSES AND CARRIAGES:
SOUTH CARRIAGE DRIVE - 17 METRES CARRIAGEWAY; 27 METRES OVERALL, BETWEEN GRASS VERGES
PROPOSED PARK LANE CARRIAGEWAYS - EITHER 18 METRES (3+3 LANES), OR 24 METRES (4+4 LANES)
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 8
LARGE
MEDIUM
BETWEEN TREE LINES
22 METRES BETWEEN TREE LINES – 6 LANES (nominal)
BETWEEN TREE LINES
34 METRES BETWEEN TREE LINES – 10 LANES
40 METRES BETWEEN TREE LINES – 3 LANES ( + 1 for coach parking)
THE MALL
AVENUE des CHAMPS ÉLYSÉES
PARK LANE
MEDIUM
LARGE
SMALL
NUMBER OF TRAFFIC LANES
NUMBER OF TRAFFIC LANES
NUMBER OF TRAFFIC LANES
Despite the fact that the avenue of trees lining Park Lane northbound
carriageway is approaching double the width of the trees lining The Mall,
and six metres wider than the avenue of trees along the Champs Elysées,
there are only three regular traffic lanes along this long stretch of Park
Lane, compared to six lanes in The Mall, and ten in the Champs Elysées.
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
SCALE: COMPARISON OF ROAD WIDTHS - SMALL, MEDIUM, LARGE
JULY 2015
BETWEEN TREE LINES
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
SMALL
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
MY VISUAL SURVEY OF ALL THE TREES ADDED TO A DIGITAL ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP
SURVEY OF TREES, AND PLAN OF PARK LANE BOULEVARD AS PROPOSED
PLAN OF PROPOSED PARK LANE BOULEVARD
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 10
PARK LANE BOULEVARD AS PROPOSED - THE EXISTING SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY IS CLEARED OF ALL MOTOR TRAFFIC
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - CLOSE TO UPPER GROSVENOR STREET
PARK LANE NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - AT PARK LANE CAR PARK
11 PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
PARK LANE BOULEVARD AS PROPOSED - SOUTHBOUND AND NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAYS RUN SIDE BY SIDE
PARK LANE AS EXISTING AND AS PROPOSED
- VIEWS FACING SOUTH
PARK LANE BOULEVARD AS PROPOSED - THE EXISTING SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY IS CLEARED OF ALL MOTOR TRAFFIC
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - BESIDE THE DORCHESTER
PARK LANE NORTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAY AS EXISTING - AT STANHOPE GATE
PARK LANE AS EXISTING AND AS PROPOSED
- VIEWS FACING NORTH
PARK LANE BOULEVARD AS PROPOSED - NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND CARRIAGEWAYS RUN SIDE BY SIDE
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 12
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
AS THE AVENUE OF TREES CURVES AWAY FROM THE LONDON HILTON, SO DO THE CARRIAGEWAYS. THE RESULT IS A LARGE EXPANSION OF THE BOULEVARD – A ROUGHLY DIAMOND-SHAPED PUBLIC SPACE, 200 METRES LONG BY 90 METRES WIDE, IS CREATED.
13 PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
BLOCK MODEL OF PARK LANE SHOWING NEW PUBLIC SPACE
STANFORD LIBRARY MAP
SHOWS THE RING
FOR HORSES AND CARRIAGES
AS A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT
FEATURE THAN PARK LANE.
THIS PART OF THE RING
WAS / IS KNOWN AS
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
EAST CARRIAGE DRIVE.
PLAN OF PROPOSED PARK LANE BOULEVARD
PLAN OF PARK LANE BOULEVARD AND STANFORD LIBRARY MAP OF LONDON
STANFORD LIBRARY MAP OF LONDON 1862 - 1871
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 14
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
PARK LANE TOP AND TAIL: OUTLINE OF THE PROPOSED SCHEME SHOWN WITH BROKEN RED LINES
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
NEARBY PRECEDENT IN KENSINGTON GARDENS:
BROADWALK - 20 METRES WIDE, APPROX, FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 16
BERM ON THE LEFT BLOCKS VIEWS INTO HYDE PARK -
PARK LANE ON THE RIGHT
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
LOVERS’ WALK - AND BERM (RAISED BANK OF EARTH) ALONGSIDE PARK LANE ON THE RIGHT
LOVERS’ WALK, AS ABOVE, IN SUMMER
17 PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
THE JOY OF LIFE FOUNTAIN ON THE LEFT - PARK LANE ON THE RIGHT
TRAFFIC NOISE CONSIDERATIONS
NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO PARK LANE CAR PARK - LOW CONCRETE WALL DIMINISHES TRAFFIC NOISE
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO PARK LANE CAR PARK - LOW CONCRETE WALL DIMINISHES TRAFFIC NOISE
ENTRANCE TO PARK LANE CAR PARK ON THE LEFT - LOW CONCRETE WALL DIMINISHES TRAFFIC NOISE
TRAFFIC NOISE CONSIDERATIONS
NORTH - EAST HYDE PARK - THE PARADE GROUND - NEAR SPEAKERS’ CORNER - LARGE AREAS OF PLAYING FIELDS
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 18
ST JAMES’S PARK - BIRDCAGE WALK
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
ST JAMES’S PARK - BIRDCAGE WALK
THE MALL - ST JAMES’S PARK
19 PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
GREEN PARK - THE MALL
NEARBY CARRIAGEWAY EDGES - ALONG BIRDCAGE WALK AND THE MALL
CONSTITUTION HILL - GREEN PARK
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
GREEN PARK - CONSTITUTION HILL
HYDE PARK - PARK LANE
NEARBY CARRIAGEWAY EDGES - ALONG CONSTITUTION HILL, COMPARED WITH PARK LANE
PARK LANE - HYDE PARK
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 20
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
THE FOLLOWING SERIES OF IMAGES SHOW THAT PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND IS NOT ALWAYS CONGESTED.
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
MORE OR LESS CLEAR OF TRAFFIC ON A BEAUTIFUL DAY, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE SUBLIME.
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND - IN SPRINGTIME - VIEW 1
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND - IN SPRINGTIME - VIEW 2
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 22
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND - IN SPRINGTIME - VIEW 3
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND - IN SPRINGTIME - VIEW 4
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 24
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
25
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND - IN SPRINGTIME - VIEW 5
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND - IN SPRINGTIME - VIEW 6
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 26
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
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PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND - IN SPRINGTIME - VIEW 7
JULY 2015
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
PARK LANE SOUTHBOUND - IN SPRINGTIME - VIEW 8
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS 28
PARK LANE BOULEVARD
A VISION WITHOUT TUNNELS
LIAM HENNESSY, ARCHITECT.
JULY 2015
[email protected]