Our Future in Stratford: Everything you need to know about East Bank
- Written byMimi Francis-Mearns
- Published date 08 June 2023
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On Thursday 18 May, we sat down with some representatives from our new neighbours in East Bank to discuss our future in Stratford. From collaborative student opportunities to the best ways to get around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the panel covered everything you need to know about London College of Fashion’s new East Bank campus.
Hosted by Andrew Teverson our Head of College and Ti’Onne Debnam, Student Union Officer alongside our panellists; Tamsin Ace, Head of Cultural Programming at LCF, Kate Finch, Head of Public Engagement at BBC Proms and London Orchestras, Rob Jones, Associate Artistic Director at Sadler’s Wells and Mark Camley, Executive Director for Park, Operations and Venues at London Legacy Development Corporation, here’s a summary of the key insights.
Commuting around Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Our panel hosts were joined by Mark Camley the Executive Director for Park Operations and Venues for LLDC, who gave facts and figures about the Park.
The safety procedures outlined in the panel discussion included 24-hour security and 120 CCTV cameras across the Park. In a 2020 survey, 95% of men felt safe in the park compared to 93% of women, so Camley’s team has since focused on implementing signage, lighting, and extra security so the Park can be enjoyed by everyone.
Regarding accessibility, the Park was designed so there is always a bench less than 50 yards away from any spot in the Park. While there is one path in the Park that does not have step-free access, Camley reported an alternative route that is slightly slower.
To account for the crowds brought by the nearby London Stadium, the Park is part of the Stadium Safety Advisory Group, which also includes the local authorities, Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, and Westfield. This group organises extra security in busy times and ensures crowds are diverted away from other users of the Park. These diversions will take crowds away from the routes our staff and students are most likely to use when leaving our building.
You can find out more about the safety procedures in place which will protect our staff and students in this article in ‘Our New Home - Secure by Design’ on LCF Stories.
East Bank’s Sustainability
Sustainability is at the forefront of any discussion about East Bank, so our hosts were sure to ask Camley for some insights into the sustainable design of the area.
While the southern part of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was designed with its human users in mind, the northern section prioritises nature and protecting the river’s existing biodiversity. This wild section of the park features less lighting and is being expanded with the rewilding of unnecessary roads and human spaces. Students will be able to explore this area and might catch a glimpse of the swans and nesting pair of Peregrine Falcons that call the park home.
Solar panels have been installed on the roof of the multi-storey car park to provide the Park with green energy, and there are plans to install more on the London Stadium. The Park has a collaborative partnership with the Greater London Authority, so they can buy more green energy for the Park with a power purchase agreement.
Collaborative Opportunities with Our Partners
With the BBC, V&A, University College of London (UCL), and Sadler’s Wells neighbouring our new campus, there are endless possibilities for collaborative student projects.
The East Bank Board, which LCF sits on alongside our partners, offers an opportunity to cook up collaborative projects with student feedback in mind. Although it’s still in the early stages, our panel delved into one exciting project that’s currently in the works: a collaborative Master’s course with V&A and UCL. Taking advantage of the V&A’s vast fashion archive and UCL’s anthropological archive, this course would offer an intersectional insight into fashion anthropology.
LCF’s Cultural Programming
For the past year, our Head of Cultural Programming, Tamsin Ace, has worked on delivering a new direction for LCF that’s brimming with festivals and events. This scheme has been integral in the design of our new campus, as demonstrated in the new purpose-built galleries and showcasing spaces on the first floor. These spaces are a direct response to student feedback and will allow the brilliant work of our cohorts to be showcased in public-facing exhibitions.
The new high-capacity lecture theatre can accommodate 340 people and large foyers also have a part to play in LCF’s Cultural Programme. With space to hold hundreds of students and members of the public, we’ll be able to fill our event calendar with fascinating speakers and after-hours events.
Watch the panel discussion in full on LCF's YouTube channel.
Written by LCF Newsroom Content Creator, Mimi Francis-Mearns, BA (Hons) Fashion Journalism and Content Creation.