fbpx

Smart Carpet

City of London Corporation / London, United Kingdom

The City of London, in partnership with Brookfield Multiplex, commissioned a Smart Infrastructure competition as part of a larger nationwide Smarter Cities Competition.

McGregor Coxall’s overall winning submission proposed a ‘Smart Carpet’ on the western end to Cheapside as a living, thinking surface treatment that would adaptively respond to user demand. The aim was to enable Cheapside to adapt to changing demands and become a destination in its own right, to support public life when its function as a vehicular link was less of a priority. Comprising of a series of paving modules, the street would be revealed as an intelligent multifunctional system that supports energy creation, inter-lockable furniture, LED lighting displays, sensory recognition and live analytics. These paving modules would facilitate modular street furniture for social interaction, recreational zones for active health, and street markets and exhibitions for cultural expression, while enabling commuter traffic flow during peak periods.

Central to the Smart Carpet’s delivery was establishing the Bank Junction Laboratory, where key initiatives could be individually tested, developed, and prototyped within a highly public and active space. The testing process cultivated trust and confidence among users regarding the effectiveness of smart technologies in elevating public spaces. Bank Junction provided a stepping stone to delivering the world’s first adaptable, data-driven, multi-functional street space that could curate public life through an intelligent street surface.

Year

2017

Site Area

1.2 ha

Services

  • Competition
  • Public Domain Strategy
  • Public Realm Planning and Design
  • Research
  • Shared Streets
  • Tactical Urbanism
  • Streetscape
  • Cycleways
  • Furniture and Signage

Collaborators

  • City of London Corporation
  • Momentum Transport Planning
  • Umbrellium
Black and white photo of Michael Cowdy with short hair and a beard, smiling slightly, wearing a dark blazer over a plain T-shirt, standing in front of a plain background.
Talk to Michael Cowdy about Smart Carpet
Get In Touch
A bustling urban square is filled with people engaging in various activities. Some are seated on colorful blocks, others are walking or standing. Trees provide shade, and a person in the foreground holds a smartphone displaying a map. Several plants decorate the area, complementing the innovative smart carpet pathways.
A diagram shows two stages of urban design plans. Stage 1: Royal Exchange features areas labeled Café/Bar, Seating, Play, Recreation, Workspace. Stage 2: Threadneedle Road incorporates smart carpet technology in areas labeled Live Pedestrian Crossing and Safety Zone.
Illustration of urban planning concepts. Stage 3: Threadneedle Road showcases smart sustainable lighting and green energy production. Stage 4: Royal Exchange features interlockable furniture, an interactive LEDs surface like a smart carpet, and trees.
A vibrant pedestrian street scene featuring people walking, playing, and relaxing. Children play with adults, cyclists ride by, and others sit on colorful benches. Trees and greenery line the area, with smart home decor enhancing the space as a person in the foreground uses a tablet to navigate a map application.
A vibrant urban plaza with people sitting and walking among colorful, decorated blocks. Trees line the path, providing shade. A large statue of a seated figure is prominent. Someone stands on a smart carpet, holding a smartphone in the foreground, capturing the lively scene.
A detailed, labeled illustration of two smart modular systems: Smart Integrated Paving and Smart Modular Furniture. The paving setup includes LEDs, shock absorbers, a generator, and a solar panel. The furniture has a planter, filtration fan, LEDs, lockable wheels, and carpet accents.
Two diagrams show a public space in different modes. "Commuter Traffic Peak Mode" features Smart Carpet pedestrian crossings, LED tiles, and retractable bollards to manage traffic flow. "Social Interactive Mode" includes market stalls, furniture, and LED highlights, with no traffic.

More Projects