A new area of public realm creating a ‘front door’ to Reading and linking the mainline station with the town centre has opened as part of the £850 million redevelopment of Station Hill, delivered by Lincoln MGT, the joint venture between Lincoln Property Company (‘Lincoln’) and MGT Investment Management (‘MGT’).
Covering around two acres, the landscape and public realm of Station Hill run from Friar Street in the south – across a site which previously contained Friars Walk shopping centre, a car park, bus depot and office buildings dating from the 1970s – to the main entrance of Reading station in the north. The area incorporates a new pedestrian bridge link over Garrard Street and offers seating areas set within generous planting where members of the public can meet and relax.
The public realm gives visitors a significantly improved welcome to the town on arrival from the station, with a pocket park providing an inviting and attractive solution to the four-metre level change between the station underpass and Station Hill. The connection from the station through to Friar Street and the town centre beyond is step free, ensuring all-inclusive access for users.
Councillor Liz Terry, Reading Borough Council Leader, said: “Reading’s standing as a major economic player – both in the region and nationally – compels it to have a gateway to the town which is befitting of that reputation. I’m pleased to say that has now become a reality with the opening of this hugely impressive public space between Reading Station and Station Hill, which is now effectively the town’s new front door. The creation of an attractive green space and accompanying public square, complete with seating, sculptures and artwork, will likely quickly become a destination in its own right, and the level access from the Station towards both Friar Street and the Town Centre will be of huge benefit.
“It’s fair to say the wider Station Hill project has been some years in the making and I’m certain residents will have wondered what the final completed project would look like. I hope they will agree it’s now a hugely impressive public space which further cements Reading’s reputation as a great place to live, work and visit.”
The design of the public realm has been undertaken by leading landscape architects LDA Design, who worked closely with Arcadis on the Placemaking vision for Station Hill. The design for the public realm has been inspired by its location between the two rivers on which Reading stands – the Thames and the Kennett—which were fundamental to the establishment and growth of Reading. Taking cues from the forms and terminology associated with rivers—currents, eddies, banks and boulders—the landscape is laid out to respond to the movement of people (currents), create active frontage (eddies) at the edge of the buildings (banks) and provide areas to sit and dwell (boulders). The design seeks to create a sense of belonging for anyone who visits.
A main square has been created adjacent to ONE Station Hill, a new best-in-class 275,000 sq ft London grade office building. This square will be a major destination where people can meet and relax, acting as focal point for pedestrians and helping to drive footfall between the station and the town centre. Pathways flow around the central area of the square showcasing the ‘Seed’ sculpture and a playful water fountain feature.
As a key attraction in the public realm – particularly on warm, sunny days – the feature will provide opportunities for children of all ages to play in the water spray while those looking on can watch from a distance – and stay dry.
The central seating edge is the largest continuous terrazzo seat in Europe, providing definition and function to the central space. Seating has also been incorporated along the pathways which converge as they meet the new pedestrian link bridge to the south, with planting and trees continuing along the full length of Friars Walk.
A stepped pocket park has also been created across the station forecourt to the north, close to the main reception of ONE Station Hill. This incorporates a significant amount of terraced planting – including trees and shrubs – and seating areas, punctuated by dramatic new sculptures and murals which welcome people to the town as they exit Reading station.
Cannon Ivers, Director, LDA Design, said: “Station Hill creates a striking, contemporary gateway and celebrates the rich history of Reading. From the arrival at the station and across a new pedestrian bridge linking to the high street, the landscape and public realm welcomes people from all walks of life to Station Hill. Nature is in abundance with biodiverse planting and trees, while seating areas will create spaces for people to dwell and admire the public art and enjoy the playful water feature. Inspired by the ‘Rivers of Reading’, the public realm provides space for life to unfold for the growing community.”
The lighting design has been developed by dpa lighting consultants. It responds to the human experience, seeking to create a sense of place and belonging and encouraging the use of the public realm during the evening hours. As well as providing visitors to Station Hill with safety and security, the lighting also serves to highlight the architectural design of the neighbouring buildings, helping to express the overall character of the space as well as complement the dedicated lighting designed used for the new murals and sculptures. A curated palette of warm white light sources has been used, reinforcing the welcoming nature of the new public realm to visitors.
The specially-commissioned series of sculptures and murals, which have been delivered by predominantly local artists, collectively form an ‘art trail’ through the Station Hill estate and include:
- The Friars Walk mural: ‘Rivers, Ruins & Regency’ depicting notable figures including King Henry I, who commissioned the construction of Reading Abbey and peace campaigner and politician Phoebe Cusden. It also highlights local icons including Huntley & Palmers biscuits, the World War II memorial cemetery and the Hand of St James
- The Station Hill mural: ‘Royals, Residents & a Rock Festival’ featuring celebrities like Kate Winslet, Ricky Gervais, Kate Middleton and Marianne Faithfull, alongside local figures such as businesswoman Tutu Melaku and Neil Papworth, sender of the first-ever SMS message
- ‘Seed’ sculpture, referencing Sutton’s Seeds and 19th Century Reading, merging botany, history and image microscopy. It sits on a plinth honouring Reading’s brickmaking heritage and its surface is embellished with nine bronze reliefs of magnified seed textures, chosen through a public engagement programme
- ‘Pivotal’, forming a monumental kinetic artwork outside ONE Station Hill, inspired by flags and symbolising a bright and creative era for Reading. It is comprised of more than 70 brightly coloured fins, each with a surface that moves in the wind, creating a dynamic and ever-changing display during the day and at night
The colours of the two murals will shift and animate throughout the year to celebrate different events, providing a dynamic, ever-evolving visual experience. These works are part of the Station Hill public art programme, devised by cultural placemaking agency Futurecity. The public realm and artworks represent an investment of £1.5 million by Lincoln MGT and provide a new ‘gateway’ destination in the heart of Reading. Detailed insights into how each artwork has been produced will be available via dedicated QR codes on adjacent plinths, as well as through the recently relaunched Station Hill website: www.stationhill.co.uk .
Callum Thorneycroft, Managing Director at MGT, and on behalf of the Lincoln MGT JV, said: “This newly-landscaped area was a previously a derelict, inaccessible site for the best part of 20 years. We have transformed it into a series of attractive open spaces which everyone in Reading can enjoy. Not only does it establish a gateway to the town; it helps to create an area open 24/7 where people working or living in Reading can meet and relax.
“In the wider context of the Station Hill redevelopment, Lincoln MGT has already invested around £50 million into social infrastructure and landscaping as well as lifestyle-led retail and leisure space. It provides an opportunity to experience Reading’s rich cultural heritage as well as instilling a sense of local pride.”
In addition to the new public realm, the ONE Station Hill commercial development and a fast-growing selection of predominantly local retailers (including Siren Craft Brew), Station Hill also includes the 598-home Ebb&Fow residential development across two buildings which was competed last year and which already provides a range of market and affordable rental homes – including studios, 1-bed, 2-bed, 2-bed duplexes and 3-bed apartments for more than 1,650 residents. Completed in the Summer of 2024, Ebb&Flow has already set a benchmark in the wide-ranging demands for town centre living from younger professionals to working families with more than 75 per cent leased by the end of last year. Ebb&Flow has been recognised by HomeViews as the ‘Best place to live in Reading’. It also achieved a Top Three ranking in ‘Best place to live in the Southeast of England’ in HomeViews’: ‘A guide to living in Southeast England’. See: www.Ebb-and-Flow.co.uk
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