Shortlisted: NLA Whitechapel Market Gateways Competition

The Whitechapel Gateways brief invites teams to imagine how a series of new ‘gateways’ could mark arrival into one of London’s most historic and culturally rich neighbourhoods, a place defined by its market, its people, and centuries of exchange and reinvention.

For us, this project is about creating an atmospheric shift, a moment where you feel and know you’ve arrived somewhere special. A threshold that celebrates the rhythm and spirit of Whitechapel Market; where colour, light, texture and sound work together to express its energy, its stories, and its shared humanity.

A Place of Stories and Exchange

Whitechapel has always been a place of movement and meeting, a route, a marketplace, and a home. Its identity has been shaped by people who have arrived here from across the world, weaving together cultures, craft, trade, and community resilience. From the original ‘White Chapel’ to the activism of Altab Ali Park, from the hum of the Royal London Hospital to the soundscape of the market itself, Whitechapel’s identity is layered in every sense.

Our approach reflects the area’s deep cultural and social heritage. It looks to capture what makes Whitechapel distinct not through a single statement, but through a series of experiences that connect people emotionally and physically to place.

Designed with Whitechapel

Our proposal builds on Layer.Studio’s co-design and creative engagement ethos. Working closely with local communities to ensure the gateways are designed with, not for, Whitechapel. Through workshops, colour exploration, and dialogue, the project invites people to consider how colour, emotion, and movement influence how they experience the market every day.

Studio Justine Fox leads on the colour and sensory aspects of the design, applying her research into neuro-aesthetics and inclusive design to explore how colour and light can improve accessibility, wellbeing, and belonging within the public realm.

Will Sandy contributes their expertise in creative placemaking, temporary activations, and urban ecology, helping to test and prototype ideas that bring vibrancy and adaptability to the streetscape.

A Shared Challenge

We recognise this as both an exciting design challenge and a responsibility to create a gateway that speaks authentically to Whitechapel’s layered history and living culture.

As a collective, we’re relishing the opportunity to translate our shared vision into a clear, deliverable offering for Tower Hamlets, and most importantly, for the people of Whitechapel.

The project marks an important step in our ongoing work exploring how design, colour and emotion can create inclusive, meaningful public spaces that are felt as much as they are seen.

Designed with Whitechapel.