Perennials for Soldiers
- The area around the War Memorial experienced a radical transformation from an unusable and cluttered traffic island to a contemporary town square giving the centre of Kinghorn a new, longed for identity. Unlike most other historic coastal towns in Fife, Kinghorn didn’t have a public space, where people could meet for an informal chat or where social gatherings or events like markets, could take place. Whilst the area around the War Memorial was ideally located it had become an isolated and desolate traffic island over the years.
A new town square was created by closing the dividing road between the Church Halls and the Memorial off. The main components of the design include a strict decluttering of the space, improved accessibility, coherent use of materials and colours and the introduction of a new perennial planting system, especially developed for areas of very low maintenance.
Investing in this relatively small but important area increased very effectively the quality of Kinghorns townscape. The significance of the War Memorial got re-established at the same time as establishing a central focal point, a “heart” for the town.
UrbanPioneers developed the current layout in discussion with Fife Council Transportation Services and a Steering Group representing the Community of Kinghorn as well as the community group ‘Kinghorn in Bloom’ who became involved finalising the current plant species.
- Category
- Community & Placemaking
- Client
- Fife Council
- Status
- Completed Aug 2011