Cultivate Colindale is transforming 4,000m² of vacant land adjacent to Heybourne Park into a vibrant public space – a living hub for sustainability, creativity, culture and community. Designed by Wayward – an award-winning, non-profit, creative placemaking studio known for pioneering the design of Meanwhile Spaces – Cultivate Colindale will activate a space in one of the most deprived areas of London, amidst one of the largest housing regeneration schemes.

As the site has not yet publicly launched, our focus has been on building relationships and trust with the local community through regular, low-barrier ways of getting involved. Weekly community build and gardening days have worked well, offering a consistent, welcoming entry point for local residents to spend time on site, contribute practically, and get to know the project as it takes shape. We’ve found that informal, hands-on activities are particularly effective in bringing together a mix of people across ages and backgrounds, including those who might not engage with more structured programmes. These sessions have also helped identify local champions and build early ownership of the space.

Alongside this, we are developing partnerships with local organisations, schools and community groups to ensure the site reflects existing networks and needs. A key learning so far is the importance of sustained, visible presence and simple, repeatable invitations to participate, rather than one-off engagement moments. As we move towards launch, the next step is to broaden this into a more structured programme while retaining this openness and accessibility.