East

Their experience in considering the broad range of people who will use their urban landscape interventions informs an engagement with all who will use their architecture. Our role was always to bring it back to what it is like spatially and how it can be simplified. Their work is recognised for its innovative role in adjusting and improving urban fabric and its uses. Judith Losing
Transport for London’s ambition is not necessarily about making a decent background for ordinary life to happen. Their work ranges from large-scale landscape and urban planning projects to community buildings and interventions to improve public space. Its three directors are Julian Lewis, Dann Jessen and Judith Losing. With great skill, East has used the opportunities afforded by its complex public realm projects to explore creative means of connecting with the many and varied users of its public spaces. Does your application of the term ‘client’ beyond the person paying for the project change your approach to an architectural problem? Its involvement in large-scale landscape and urban projects also links to its work in formulating strategic plans and design guides, such as the Transport for London Streetscape Guidance, which is another form of brief writing. Dann Jessen
It’s important to understand that the client is London and that therefore you don’t rely on the express aspirations of the paying client only, but look at the need for the work that you are doing and raise the aspirations for it yourself. Interview with Julian Lewis, Dann Jessen and Judith Losing of East
When you formulated the Transport for London Streetscape Guidance, what ambitions did you set for yourselves and the brief? They are interested in places, their uses and the way they come about; cities, spaces within them, buildings and landscapes. That project was special because it stretched across London. East is an architecture, landscape and urban design practice based in London.