Grimshaw has been commissioned to develop the busiest transport hub in the UK, as well as London's surrounding Southbank area. The master plan will improve the traffic of 5 connections and renovate the terrain, home to world-famous attractions like the London Eye and the Tate Modern. The project is aligned with Lambeth Council's and the Network Rail's commitment to net zero emissions by 2030, through the extension of pedestrian and cycling routes.
For nearly 175 years, the Southbank has played a vital role in local businesses and communities in London. Defined by the River Thames, this area was once a marshland until Industrial Revolution took place, setting the construction of industrial wharves, tanneries, waterworks, and leadworks. In 1951 the Festival of Britain gave it a modern upgrade from its industrial past. Since then, the bank has hosted millions of people on their commute and on their way to the London Eye, the Queen's Walk, Tate Modern, Hayward Gallery, and Shakespeare's Globe, among other top sights in London.
The redevelopment will incentivize active travel, enhance road safety, and reduce reliance on motor vehicle journeys. The master plan will renew connections to London's Southbank, The Cut, Waterloo Road, Lower Marsh, and Leake Street. In addition, it will provide new routes for walking and cycling alongside the enhancement of existing paths. Mid-2023 expects the Waterloo Station's completed vision by Grimshaw in partnership with WSP, Gbolade Design Studio, Exterior Architecture, Hatch, Iceni, Turner & Townsend.
The Waterloo masterplan comes at a critical moment in the future of London. Infrastructure not only needs to connect people and communities economically and socially but also has a greater responsibility to create a more equitable, mobile and sustainable future. We are incredibly excited to work with Lambeth and Network Rail to bring this to the wider plans for Waterloo and transform the area into a truly civic hub.- Kirsten Lees, Managing Partner and project lead for Grimshaw
International architecture practice Grimshaw was also selected to design Budapest's New Nyugati Railway Station and is working on the Design of the Washington Union Station Expansion. The project aims to become a multi-modal transportation hub for the district adjacent to the historic station in 2026 and improve access to the existing railway services, Metrorail, DC Streetcar, and bus services.
