Rhys Jones

As Walthamstow continues to sit within the ever-expanding and swallowing London conurbation, it inevitably lies within sight of commercially-centric developers, who offer bold plans of 'investment by towers', despite the area's lengthy resistance to being gentrified through over-development. Its market – 'Europe's longest', as you most certainly will be reminded, if you visit – however, is failing to survive within an economy of battling supermarket titans and undercutting online retailers, and so market pitches which were worth up to £20,000 in the early 2000s, now change hands at little to no cost.

This project looks to offer a counter development proposal to the London Borough of Waltham Forest Council's existing scheme, providing a legitimate prospect for the continued existence of Walthamstow Market, whilst adding to and improving local community assets through investment from multiple local stakeholders. This series of strategic architectural interventions acts as an alternative to the enlargement of the economically destructive and identity-sapping shopping 'Mall', together with aiming to champion and expand the public realm.