Hanover Square - Medici Courtyard

A new square in Mayfair

Location Mayfair, London

Medici Courtyard and a new arcade link Hanover Square to New Bond Street. Shops and restaurants line the north side of this intimate new public space, a hideaway within the busy West End.

Hanover Square has been immeasurably improved with traffic removed from its western side, creating a welcoming landscaped pedestrian realm for the new Crossrail exit.

Careful design and detailing meant that no steps, railings or walls were required to cope with level changes. Yorkstone, was used to integrate the new public space into the surrounding urban landscape but much larger unit sizes were chosen to enhance the quality of the civic space.

The trees create a sense of place, framing views below the canopy level and focusing attention on the courtyard rather than on surrounding elevations. The tree species, Gleditsia, was selected for its lightweight, see-through, canopy to allow enough light to penetrate to ground level while creating a pattern of shadows. These are ‘future’ trees, resilient for climate change.

The south elevation is framed by a series of large Travertine stone panels each one individually selected. They create a beautiful yet natural surface, a parchment-like texture that one would want to touch and observe close-up. It provides a background to all the activities going on in the court and further comes alive when it is lit in the evenings.

Client GPE.
Architect Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands
Planning Authority Westminster City Council
Status Completed - 2022