In Common Parlance

In Common Parlance reimagined Parliament Square, London, as a space where ecological maintenance and political demonstration could coexist.

Parliament Square has long been a site of tension and contestation. Its lawn is meticulously maintained, often enclosed or fenced off, which has made it a tool of control in regulating public demonstrations. This project asked: how can a civic space remain open to protest while also preserving its ecological and historical character?

A Lawn as Symbol

Parliament Square is not just a patch of green. It is a symbolic landscape of political history and activism, where questions of access, control, and maintenance converge. By reframing lawn care as an infrastructural design problem, In Common Parlance offered a new way of balancing the needs of government, ecology, and citizens.

Platforms for Protest and Care

The project proposed two temporary raised floors constructed from reusable components. These platforms allowed automated lawn maintenance and irrigation without restricting public use. They functioned as practical stages for demonstrations and gatherings, and could be assembled and disassembled quickly, adapting to the rhythms of protest and care.

Designing Infrastructure as Politics

In Common Parlance demonstrated how infrastructure can be designed as a political tool. By synchronising ecological upkeep with public access, the project offered a model for civic spaces that are both preserved and continually open to collective expression.