A large proportion form the population lives in terraced houses and apartment along streets full of parked cars and through traffic we propose changing those streets into open spaces and playgrounds for children. 

This proposal is an answer to two provocations:

First, a questionnaire we conducted a long time ago in one of London’s many streets with Victorian terraced houses. We gave local children (aged about 10) a picture of their street with the cars photoshopped out and asked them to draw a future of the space. We, architects and parents, expected wild plans, but the children drew something far simpler and perhaps more radical: other children playing on the street, roller skating, playing football, hopscotch, and more.

Second, the popularity of street parties during national events, where cars were banned, and many neighbours met each other for the first time despite having lived next to one another for years, and the way the lockdown and the ban on driving during COVID brought neighbours together. We, therefore, propose a generic London street where the cars have been relocated to an automated parking tower with billboards on one side, a vertical garden on the other, and neighbourhood screens on the side. The street itself can be used for a variety of activities that would be managed by an AI model.

Play grounds have been drivers of change in in the regeneration of Barcelona before the Olympics and in Amsterdam after the second world war. The playgrounds brought parents, children and other residents together outside.

A swale runs through the middle of the road to catch the surface water, which in turn can be used to grow vegetables and herbs in raised flowerbeds alongside areas to play and flowerpots. The sides of the swale are paved so emergency traffic, wheelchairs, and destination traffic can drive if needed.

Around the swale, a series of activities can take place, such as playgrounds, seating areas, and benches on the porches. This will also hopefully activate all the porches and outside areas that all the terraced houses have. Community members can be involved with the layout of the street through feeding information into the AI model.

The AI model:

AI and large language models (LLMs) can enhance neighbourhood improvement initiatives by analysing anonymized demographic and behavioural data to identify trends and community needs, thereby generating personalized suggestions for local events, services, and infrastructure improvements. Additionally, AI can facilitate real-time community engagement through interactive public displays, allowing residents to share what’s on their mind, contribute ideas, and give feedback, which the LLMs can synthesize to propose actionable projects or suggestions. By connecting data insights with community input, AI can help create more responsive and dynamic urban environments tailored to residents’ needs and preferences.