St Helen’s Square London landscape proposals, British public space design images
St Helen’s Square in City of London
Plans for new urban landscape in the City design by Gillespies, England, UK
post updated 12 January 2026
Design: Gillespies, Landscape Architects
Location: City of London
St Helen’s Square in the City of London, UK
Gillespies submits plans for redesign of St Helen’s Square in the City of London
image from Gillespies
21 Aug 2013
St Helen’s Square in the City of London
The designers of the landscapes and public realm at NEO Bankside, Gillespies, have just submitted plans for a redesigned St Helen’s Square in the heart of the City of London.
This key public space lies at the historic junction of Leadenhall Street and St Mary Axe, and offers the third largest open space in the City of London (3325 Square Metres). Gillespies won the design competition to redesign this pivotal space, and the designs have just been submitted for planning permission. The design promises to deliver a world-class setting for the surrounding buildings.
picture from Gillespies
The team at Gillespies is able to build upon its previous place-making and public realm design experience in the Capital.
Current and past projects for the Gillespies team in central London include the new public space set to be London’s tallest public garden, atop 20 Fenchurch Street; design of a public square at St Giles Circus, WC2, public realm design for Paddington Basin, and a new park associated with the Canary Wharf Crossrail station. Gillespies has also recently completed the public realm and landscape design for NEO Bankside, next to the Tate Modern.
images from Gillespies
St Helen’s Square has been designed to provide a versatile space to accommodate different activities, including exhibitions and performances. Already a key thoroughfare– the redesigned space promises to reinvigorate the area, creating a fresh and appealing public plaza for people to enjoy.
Commenting on the design, Jon Akers Coyle, Associate Partner at Gillespies says:
“We are excited to have created a vibrant new design for St Helen’s Square. It’s important that the City’s spaces achieve their full potential, to be enjoyed daily by workers, visitors and residents.
True to our place-making ethos, the design approach is unique to this setting: authentic to the character of the City, but interpreted in contemporary terms.”
The project seeks to ensure that St Helen’s Square achieves its full potential as a renewed public space in the heart of the City. A planning decision is expected in late 2013.
St Helen’s Square in the City of London images / information from Gillespies Landscape Architects
St Helen’s Building
photo © Nick Weall
St Helens Building
photograph © Adrian Welch
Location: 1 Undershaft, City of London, EC3, England, UK
London Buildings
Contemporary London Architecture Designs
London Architecture Designs – chronological list
London Architecture Tours by e-architect
12 January 2026
One Great St Helen’s, Eastern Cluster, City of London, England, UK
Design: John Robertson Architects (JRA)
photo © Jack Hobhouse
60-70 St Mary Axe
Design: Foggo Associates Architects
image courtesy of the architects
60-70 St Mary Axe Building
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City of London Building Designs
Key Buildings close by to St Helen’s Square
122 Leadenhall Street – Cheesegrater site
image © Adrian Welch
Lloyds Building
photo © Nick Weall
Swiss Re Building
photo © Nick Weall
Willis Building
photo © Nick Weall
St Helen’s City of London : Church on Bishopsgate
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