London's Bank Junction Transformed with Major Public Realm Improvement

Bank Junction in London has undergone a major transformation with the completion of a public realm improvement project by Studio Weave. The project, developed in collaboration with the City of London Corporation, aims to create a more generous pedestrian environment while enhancing the setting of nearby historic buildings.

The junction, which occupies a site that has played a central role in the movement of people through London since the Roman period, was previously dominated by vehicles. However, the project reworks the streets and spaces connecting the Bank of England, Mansion House, and Royal Exchange to prioritize walking and cycling.

Highway realignment and pedestrianisation have been combined with new seating, planting, signage, and public art to create a calmer and more accessible civic setting. Axial arrangements of benches carved from British granite establish new public spaces outside the Bank of England and Mansion House, responding to the surrounding buildings while removing the need for separate hostile vehicle mitigation measures.

According to J.J. Cliff, director at Studio Weave, 'the key urban move is calming the ground plane.' The project continues Studio Weave's work with the City of London Corporation on public realm and civic projects across the Square Mile.