Mayfield Park main Version

Описание: Its all about the green.

Last week, I announced the launch of Natural Places, a new consultancy I’ve founded with my wife, Katie Mills. We’re officially launching at MIPIM next month, and if you want to meet us, we’ll be at the UK Hub—come and say hello!

In the meantime, I wanted to share something that sums up what Natural Places is all about.

I’m in Manchester for meetings, and I found myself drawn back to Mayfield Park, a place that left a lasting impression on me. On July 23rd, I stumbled upon it by accident while looking for lunch with my daughters. They spotted the playground, and we spent hours here—playing, making friends amongst the wildflowers, listening to the Ashes Test while Broad took his 600th wicket. Despite being in the heart of one of the UK’s busiest cities, I felt completely connected to nature.

A week later, I was at the Eden Project for a workshop. One of the architects told me he had bad memories of working on this site years ago. That moment reinforced something for me: this is the power of placemaking.

A space that once carried bad memories for one person had become a place of joy and connection for me. That’s what Natural Places is all about—transforming spaces to bring people closer to nature, even in the busiest cities.

Massive credit to Studio Egret West for the incredible design and to U+I for bringing this vision to life. Mayfield Park is proof that urban regeneration isn’t just about buildings—it’s about creating places that bring people together, spark memories, and reconnect us with nature.

If you’re at MIPIM, come and find us at the UK Hub—we’d love to talk about how we can create more Natural Places together.

#NaturalPlaces #Placemaking #UrbanNature #MayfieldPark #Manchester #GreenCities #SustainableDesign #MIPIM #UKHub