Exciting times in the City of London, with large numbers of new commercial schemes underway and a new directive requiring developers to submit a detailed, ambitious cultural strategy as part of their planning application. This approach is linked to the announcement of ‘Destination City’, the City of London’s new vehicle for growing the arts, tourism, and leisure, with a remit to transform the Square Mile into an international cultural, financial and tourist destination.

As part of this new approach, Futurecity is working on an exciting and varied range of cultural strategies and delivery projects for our clients, some of which are set out below. In the process we are helping the City attract new cultural infrastructure, gallery and exhibition space, cultural facilities such as studios and workshops and spaces designed for cultural activity, festivals, fairs, outdoor performance, and public art, underpinned by community engagement, cultural partnerships, and significant new funding.

Futurecity work closely with the City of London Corporation, Business Investment Districts and resident organisations such as the Museum of London, the Barbican Centre, and others across London.

See a selected portfolio of our City of London projects below.

1 / 120 Fleet Street Cultural Plan 2021- Commissioned by CO-RE Futurecity worked with the design team led by BIG Architects to develop a Cultural Plan for 120 Fleet Street, leveraging the site’s news and publishing heritage to create a new cultural and retail hub within the revitalised Grade II* listed Daily Express Building and the site’s public realm. The plans include new cultural workspaces, an exhibition space that will work with local cultural partners, and a new rooftop garden for events and programming.

2 / Holborn Viaduct Cultural Plan, Cultural Management Plan & Commissioning, 2021 – Commissioned by Royal London Asset Management Working with PLP Architecture, Futurecity developed a Cultural Strategy for the £200m Holborn Viaduct office scheme that will transform the site into a cultural gateway for the Culture Mile and Destination City. The proposals include an ambitious public art programme including high-quality digital public screens, hoardings and street furniture and a strategic partnership with a major cultural partner. 

3 / Barbican Podium Public Art Strategy & Commissioning, 2022- Commissioned by the City of London Corporation Futurecity worked in collaboration with the City of London Corporation to devise a public art strategy that would express the character of the Barbican – its ground-breaking history of performance, iconic architectural form. New climate friendly landscaping is creating a destination that is a place for people and nature in the heart of the city. The strategy is now in delivery and a Public Art Advisory Group has been set up to guide the process.

4 / 65 Crutched Friars Cultural Plan & Cultural Partnership Brokering, 2022-23 Commissioned by Dominus Working with architects 3XN, Futurecity devised a Cultural Plan for a new student accommodation development at 65 Crutched Friars. Central to the Cultural Plan development, Futurecity brokered an ambitious partnership with the Migration Museum, which will see them move into a permanent home for the first time. The new state-of-the-art facility will explore the movement of people and how that shaped Britain through new interactive temporary and permanent exhibition galleries and flexible event and education space.

5 / 1 Golden Lane Cultural Plan & Cultural Implementation Plan, 2022 - Commissioned by Castleforge Futurecity’s Cultural Strategy sets out a new local community and cultural hub within the refurbished office building designed by Hawkins/Brown on the site of the previous Cripplegate Institute, adjacent to the Barbican Centre and the Golden Lane Estate. The Cultural Plan also sets out a public realm co-design commission, to be developed as an artist collaboration with landscape architects Andy Sturgeon Design.

6 / 100 New Bridge Street Cultural Strategy, 2022 Commissioned by Helical 100 New Bridge Street is situated at the nexus of the City’s publishing, legal and business sectors. Futurecity worked alongside architects Gensler to shape the Cultural Plan and define spaces for cultural use on the ground floor and in the public realm.

7 / The Mark Cultural Strategy, 2022 Commissioned by Hobart Partners & PineBridge Investments The vision for 47- & 50-Mark Lane connects the site to the City’s rich history and heritage, The Mark commands views over the City’s best-known landmarks and most valued heritage assets. It sits inside a sensitive heritage setting near the Tower of London, a World Heritage Site, and the Cultural Strategy (developed in collaboration with Danish architects 3XN/GXN and leading cultural destinations) set out a plan for a new cultural heritage hub, featuring a digitally immersive exhibition hall to be programmed by multiple local educational heritage and cultural organisations.

8 / 81 Newgate Street Cultural Plan & Operations Strategy, 2023 Commissioned by Pella Real Estate & Orion Capital Managers Working with architects KPF, Futurecity set out a Cultural Plan for the redevelopment of BT Group’s former HQ, which sits close to St Paul's Cathedral, the Barbican Centre, and the Museum of London. A large hi-res digital wall will run along a new publicly accessible internal street. The screen will be programmed with contemporary digital art and other cultural content in partnership with a cultural organisation and dedicated curator.

9 / London Tunnels Cultural Plan, 2023 Commissioned by the London Tunnels Ltd

Futurecity is developing a Cultural Plan for the historic London tunnels, a series of vast tunnels constructed in the 1940s to serve as shelters during the London Blitz and Once an underground home for the British secret service during the war. The Tunnels are situated at the intersection of London’s West End and the historic Square Mile. The Cultural Plan assists the heritage and destination attraction by expanding the programming opportunities and access to the digitally enabled heritage attraction. The project team includes partners Wilkinson Eyre, WSP, Montagu Evans, Gardiner Theobald and Volterra.