London is home to more than eight million trees and almost half of the surface of the metropolis are green spaces . However, those spaces in which nature prevails over asphalt are not evenly distributed throughout the city, since many of them are actually private and inaccessible.
Now, a new map that connects at a glance more than 400 public parks and open spaces seeks to inspire Londoners and visitors to enjoy nature in the British capital.
London and its parks
Helen Ilus , the graphic designer who conceived the London Greenground Map , used the classic subway map of the city – a London icon itself – by Harry Beck to create a recognizable design. Instead of stations like Baker Street or Piccadilly Circus , her map is centered on connect green spaces on foot and in some cases also by bike . Some are well known, like Hyde Park or Hampstead Heath , but also reveals other less obvious ones such as Fred Wells Gardens or Chelsea Physic Garden.
In addition to the distance (in miles) between the featured green spaces, the map includes various references to bike paths, ideal places to walk, swim and kayak, as well as to the bird watching and to enjoy good views, marked with recognizable symbols and explained in the legend.
Also, the map not only offers ideas for walks or bike rides, but also allows you to discover a more unknown London, such as that of the ponds and natural pools in which to dive at any time of the year or the canals through which to explore the city by kayak.
Helen Ilus, originally from Estonia, lived in the London neighborhood of Bermondsey, on the banks of the Thames , between 2010 and 2012. “During the two years I lived there I walked to work every day and walked past some of the most beautiful views in the city. My experience would have been very different if I had had to travel by train or subway, but now what I remember most are the cool mornings by the river and the summer afternoons walking along the South Bank" , explains the graphic designer.
Regent's Park, London
"My love of London parks actually started much earlier," adds Helen. "The first time I traveled alone, in my early twenties, it was to London, and I remember walking from morning to night in all the famous parks I had heard so much about. On my first afternoon I went to the kensington gardens . I remember it was a beautiful summer afternoon and I sat under a tree, enjoying the moment and thinking how lucky I was to be there.”
The map is available in two versions, in paper and digital format , and can be found on their website. the paper map fits in pocket and includes an index of parks and green spaces on the reverse. "The paper version arose out of necessity and has been a great success, I have sold more than 1,000 copies so far," says the designer, who initially offered only the free digital version.
“The pandemic is being difficult for the creative industries, that's why I started selling the paper version. I wasn't ready to release it, but I think people see it as a project with potential to grow and want to support the idea. It's currently out of stock, but a larger version will be out in a few weeks, and I'll also be selling posters”.
One of the challenges when designing the map was discover the roads that may not appear on Google Maps and that on many occasions only the neighbors know , because according to Ilus, many are shortcuts between two green spaces.
Another was to measure the distance between parks to give map users a rough idea. "I measure the distance between the parks from the center of them, this is easier with small parks than with large ones," she explains.
Besides London, she is already working in maps for other cities From United Kingdom. I already have a map Edinburgh , and I'm working on another for Bristol board . I want to expand to eight cities in 2021 and include some European cities. At the moment I only work with cities that I have visited. Since you can't travel for now, it's been a wonderful way to get to know those places better. When you live in London, you can't know everything because it's gigantic. Most only know their closest area well. Many people who have lived in London all their lives have told me that they have found nearby parks that they didn't know existed,” she concludes.
Bristol board