Young Designers Programme 2024: New Life for Stratford Park's Old Pavilion

Empowering Young People to Transform Community Spaces with the Youth Empowerment Service

This summer, an underused community space in Stratford is being reimagined by a group of young designers, organised by Newham’s Detached Youth Team and Populo Living.

Now in its third year, the Young Designers Programme brings together a group of local young people with a passion for art, design, architecture, and community development. The initiative offers a chance to work closely with Populo Living’s design team, gaining practical design experience and empowers them to have a direct hand in shaping their local area to make a mark on this community space.

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Stratford Park, the Old Pavilion is easy to miss. This overlooked spot is a stone’s throw from the centre of Stratford – a former bowling club in need of some care. The pavilion is home to a weekly poetry club and is a meeting spot for community groups, but the building and park hold much more potential for Newham residents.

     

A New Focus for a Historic Space

The Old Pavilion, once a hub for the West Ham Bowling Club, now features a spacious but underutilised green space. Though worn over the years, this rare, secluded area offers the potential to become a secure sanctuary for local young people, ideal for relaxation and community events.

In their first session, the young designers toured the Old Pavilion and its surrounding area, sharing their thoughts on what the space could become. Initial ideas included areas for physical activities, such as football, a performance space, social seating, and even a barbecue area. These ideas will be refined over the coming weeks as the programme progresses throughout August.

Community-Led Design

The Young Designers Programme embodies community-led regeneration, bringing together over a dozen young people to imagine how this space can better serve Newham residents. With a small budget, they are encouraged to think creatively to maximize the impact of their designs.

Community wealth building is at the heart of the Carpenters regeneration programme, driving Populo Living’s focus on creating spaces that serve the community. The Young Designers Programme embodies this commitment by empowering Newham locals, particularly young people, to actively shape their environment. Through community involvement, we aim to foster long-term prosperity and ensure local benefits from development.

Similar to this year’s programme, last year’s Young Designers Programme explored the ‘Future of Work’ and involved participants in pitching their business ideas. It also saw young residents design vibrant paintwork for the Lund Point Games Area and Dennison Point Basketball Court, along with new seating outside The Dovetail. In 2022, the programme focused on key design elements and generated innovative ideas for retail pop-up spaces and play areas, incorporating biodiversity and environmental elements for the estate.

Looking Ahead

We’re excited to see the young designers’ vision take shape over the summer and look forward to sharing updates on the transformation of Stratford Park’s Old Pavilion, a project that reaches beyond the Carpenters Estate to benefit the broader Newham area.




Follow along and find out more about Newham's Detached Youth Team here.