Jubilee Gardens, London

‘The Lost Canvas’ at Jubilee Gardens, Southbank SE1. This design was created to celebrate the artists of the Festival of Britain held on the site in 1951. The form of the design was inspired by a sketch made by Victor Pasmore in preparation for the spectacular mural he painted in the main festival restaurant. The restaurant, along with the artwork, and like most of buildings specifically developed for the festival, was torn down at the end of the year by the incoming Churchill government.

The Festival of Britain was conceived after the second world war to boost the moral of the country and to celebrate British art, science and industry. Events took place across the nation and in London millions visited the main exhibition space on the Southbank where the futuristic modernist architecture and displays of British life and creativity projected an optimistic view of the country’s future.

In 2026 when optimism for the state of the nation and its future seems in very short supply, this new design for the South Bank seeks to both remind visitors of the strength of Britain’s remarkable cultural and creative heritage and look quietly forward with hope at our ability to change and transform for the better. Building on the work of Southwark council to improve biodiversity in the borough, the proposed planting echoes the strong colours of Victor Pasmore’s contemporary 1950s paintings through the use of climate resilient and pollinator friendly plant species. At the same time the gently sloped landforms populated with new trees and native tapestry hedges provide sheltered pockets of calm for visiting and local people and wildlife alike to escape from the noise and chaos of one of the UK’s most heavily used public spaces.