Grimaldi Park, London Transforming an underutilized and dilapidated city park into a vibrant and safe open space.

The small park in southwest Islington was once a cemetery and bears the name of the famous clown Joseph Grimaldi, who is buried here.

The redesign respects the history of the site by incorporating, elaborating and completing existing elements such as walls and gravestones. Historical and contemporary uses intersect and interact with each other in a playful and thought-provoking way. The historic walls, with their distinctive brickwork, divide the site into four distinct park rooms, shielding the resulting intimate urban space from the noise and traffic prevalent in central London. Each of these 'rooms' has its own character and offers individual experiences and uses. For example, the southern more contem- plative spaces are characterized by a playful arrangement of planting and seating elements.

The sensitive historic gravestones are incorporated into planting or gravel areas and serve as reminders of the past.