Northala Fields: Valhalla in the distance

Abstract

The reclamation project Northala Fields in the London Borough of Ealing represents a successful model of park design for the 21st century. The project combined an expansive earthwork with a practically functioning community green space at zero cost to the taxpayer. This paper explores not only the development of the park, but also the components that function in combination to generate the extensive community engagement and continual usage of the site. Northala Fields was a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort which follows a tradition of successful endeavours between artists and scientists, using new technologies to revitalise abandoned and contaminated sites. Several art/science collaborations are examined within the context of reclamation and creative innovation.