From sewage shaft to public plaza: Putney’s newest public space opens

A former Thames Tideway building site in Putney has been turned into a new public space, expanding the riverside walkway next to Putney Bridge.

The new plaza-style space sits on top of a 36-metre deep shaft which is now forming part of the sewer diversion as the combined sewer overflow (CSO) shaft will take sewage from the older local sewage mains and drop it down to the Tideway tunnel. Once the construction left, the top was converted into a public space beside the river.

(c) Thames Tideway

Timber-laid benches face the river, while the Cornish granite used for the steps and paving comes from the same quarry used to construct Putney Bridge nearly 140 years ago.

There are three artworks on the plaza, all by Glasgow-based artist Claire Barclay.

These include a range of features, such as the bronze oars forming the handrails of the balustrade and a relief sandblasted into the granite walls of the operational kiosk building. The University Boat Race is celebrated with a strip of bronze inlaid into the granite paving to mark the start line.

Other design elements include a sculptural bronze ventilation column and uplighting.

The space just west of Putney Bridge is the first of seven new mini-parks to be created for the project, all with unique architectural features and artworks. The new sewer tunnel is due to be activated in 2024, and when fully operational in 2025, the tunnel will prevent an estimated 95 per cent of sewage spills from entering the river.