We’ve had the privilege of working with the Royal Borough of Greenwich to celebrate the vitality of Powis and Hare Streets in Woolwich. Leading a multidisciplinary team, we delivered fresh shopfronts, artwork, new public spaces and a heritage walk, all shaped in close partnership with the community to capture Woolwich’s unique cultural tapestry.

Working alongside local shopkeepers, we co-designed 12 shopfront improvements that have revitalised the high street. By establishing shared priorities, we elevated each shop’s presence to reflect its owner’s dynamism. Since completion, shopkeepers have reported tangible impacts, including new customers and increased footfall that required hiring additional staff.

These improvements arrived at a critical moment. With the Elizabeth Line extension and Woolwich Arsenal redevelopment, local businesses face pressure to adapt. Our approach provided the tools to navigate these changes, ensuring shopfronts met business aspirations while appealing to new audiences.

Beyond the shopfronts, our activation strategy celebrates cultural heritage through commemorative plaques and murals created with local artists and schoolchildren. The resulting toolkit offers a roadmap for sustainable, inclusive streets, ensuring a future where local stories and collective enthusiasm guide how our urban spaces evolve.

Suzi Winstanley, director, Turner Works

 

Project data

Start on site May 2023
Completion December 2024
Gross internal floor area N/A
Construction cost £875,000
Architect Turner Works
Supporting architect You and Me Architecture (designer of Castle Tavern and First Choice Café)
Client Royal Borough of Greenwich, Historic England
Structural engineer Simple Works
Quantity surveyor Stockdale
Retail consultant Retail Revival
Lighting consultant Michael Grubb Studios
Main contractor Cuttle (Phase 1), Standage (Phase 2)
CAD software used Vectorworks

 

Architect’s choices

We specified Medite Tricoya for the façades due to its durability and environmental credentials. This weather-resistant material supports a consistent finish while allowing shopkeepers to adapt their frontages over time. For the heritage plaques, we specified cast iron and worked with FSE Foundry, to whom we have specified to incorporate iron reclaimed from discarded street bollards of Powis Street within their recycling process to support circularity. We commissioned Dean’s Blinds to supply traditional drop-arm canopies and South London’s Bellenden Signs for the signage. Local artists produced the murals, developing designs in close collaboration with the community to ensure the artwork reflects the neighbourhood.

Louis Lupien, senior designer, Turner Works

 

Specification

Our main goal in the specification was to make decisions that encourage positive community interactions and help local shopkeepers and the wider community to flourish. We specified robust materials to withstand the high street’s energy, using waterproof panels and an adaptable aluminium I-beam signage system for the shopfronts through timeless but vibrant designs that allow businesses to evolve their identity without costly structural changes, ensuring long-term resilience.

Historical character was reinstated by restoring original proportions and features, such as pilasters, corbels and stallrisers. We introduced traditional drop-arm canopies where relevant, provided illumination to upper levels and a curated colour palettes that blend contemporary vibrancy with muted tones to respect the street’s architectural character.

Sustainability and local craftsmanship were central to the detailing. The heritage plaques were specified to be cast by a local workshop using iron reclaimed from discarded street bollards as part of the production process, embedding principles of circularity and historical narrative into the design. To celebrate Woolwich’s stories and identity, we commissioned a network of murals created by local artists, local people and primary school children. The result is a resilient high street that honours its history while actively supporting the future of its residents and traders.

Louis Lupien, senior designer, Turner Works

 

 

 

Selected products

Waterproof MDF
Medite Tricoya
Medite Tricoya Extreme Durable MDF
Shopfront façades
mdfosb.com

Awnings
Dean’s Blinds
Traditional drop arm canopies
Shopfront façades
deansblinds.co.uk

Signage
Bellenden Signs
Projecting and fascia-mounted signage
Shopfront façades
bellendensigns.com

Plaques
FSE Foundry
Heritage Plaques
Various locations
fsefoundry.co.uk

Murals
Local artists (The Collective Makers, Lison Sabrina Musset and Joseph Ijoyemi, Haffeera Cader Saul, Ellen Strachan, Marc Drostle, Paige Denham)
Artists’ designs
Various flank walls across the neighbourhood
thecollectivemakers.co.uk, haffeera.com, pigeonloftmurals.co.uk, paigedenham.com

Mural installation
Wood Street Walls
Painted artworks
Various flank walls across the neighbourhood
woodstreetwalls.co.uk

Mural installation
Puck Studios
Large format print on Dibond Boards
Various flank walls across the neighbourhood
puckstudio.co.uk

Light fixtures
Igguzini
Architape Pro 100
Upper levels of 111-113 Powis Street
guzzini.com

Light fixtures
Architainment
iPro Spotlight
Lighting for murals
architainment.co.uk

Planters
Mago Urban
Precast concrete Petra 1 Planter
Barnard Close
magourban.com

Benches
Mago Urban
Mago Sol Bench
Barnard Close
magourban.com