The Michael Faraday Memorial is almost anonymous to people, it lacks indication of what the building is made for, and is too abstract to understand. Placed on the busy roundabout can give it attention if redesigned well, at the moment it seems lost in the midst of all the chaos.
As it is a Grade II listed building, changing exterior of the building is not possible, the first step towards solving the problem is to redesign the the island itself. High intensity traffic and high volume of sound flows all around the structure, the first step to reduce that and create some sense of peace in the midst of the roundabout was to excavate and create pathways for pedestrians to access the roundabout from down, and make a -1 level inside the buiding to access from.
The planning council of Southwark London states that the Elephant & Castle roundabout will change into a peninsula, closing in from the main subway. Bearing that in mind, the design is developed to accommodate the future peninsula design.
From the travel information boards, people facing towards the food bar and Faraday display projection
From the ticket counter looking out to the entrance
Travelers relax where it displays Faraday's historic inventions in a glass display table which also serves as a coffee table; facing towards the travel information boards
The final landscape design improves and tranquilzes a busy roundabout island into a relaxing, urban peninsula. There is fencing at the circumference for safety. Trees are planted to mask the traffic, dampen the noise and calm the atmosphere. Wide steps are built for walking or sitting on, and a provision for outdoor cinema is given on one side of the structure. Grass is planted in parts of the area, Netherland's interactive sensor light & sound responsive pillars are installed. The formerly anonymous structure now celebrates science, travel information and recreation as people gather in this space in day and night.
