London became one of the first cities in the world which started to implement ecological solutions. Residents and guests of Great Britain are aware of the need to follow certain rules to preserve nature. Everyone here knows about the consequences of human activity. After all, some of the world’s largest shopping centres, office buildings and skyscrapers are located in this city. However, London also boasts plenty of great parks and other green spaces. All of this became possible thanks to the support of residents and the government. Their indifference helps the city not to be absorbed by grey buildings. Locals very often put forward original and interesting ideas. The Boxpark shopping centre is such an initiative. What is this place and how is it related to ecology? Learn more at londonname.
The emergence of the idea and the opening of the first shopping centre
Although the idea of creating an ecological shopping centre seemed modern and original, it arose back in 1999. Boxpark founder Roger Wade owned several street food spots at the time. However, his business changed a lot after his visit to Germany. There, Roger presented his own business network at an exhibition. However, the participants had to create their own space for the presentation of their company. The exhibition didn’t last long, so it wasn’t a very good idea to build an entire store (which would later be demolished). Therefore, the founder decided to use a huge container. That idea became the foundation for the creation of the future shopping centre. Roger Wade thought it through for a long time, but one day he decided that the implementation of that idea would benefit not only people but also the planet in general. The first shopping centre of that kind was opened on Bethnal Green Road in 2011. It consists of 40 shipping containers on the first floor and 20 containers on the second floor. Initially, the establishment of the institution envisaged short-term activity (approximately five years). However, it seemed that the residents liked this place so much that it was reconstructed in 2017 and the updated Boxpark continued its operation again. In total, the facility houses 27 shops as well as 19 restaurants and bars.
Further history
The place developed at a frantic pace and was very liked by the residents and guests of the city. Therefore, the creation of a second shopping centre was inevitable and so it happened. The new Boxpark was opened in Croydon in October 2016. This time, 96 containers were used for the construction of a two-story structure, which meant it would be much larger. The experience of the first spot highlighted certain problems that should be taken into account. During the construction of the second building, great attention was paid to the creation of an indoor recreation area because weather conditions significantly affected the number of visitors. Although the second shopping centre houses more shops than the first one, it is focused mainly on entertainment. There are a large number of food spots and various events (such as musical performances, film screenings, kickboxing, etc.) are often held there.
The history of the Boxpark network development didn’t end there. Thus, a third facility was opened near Wembley Stadium in 2018. This one has become an even better and more advanced version of Boxpark. It is the largest of the three and holds approximately 2,000 people. Like the second, it provides for entertainment events. In particular, football matches are often shown there and it has a special fan zone. The facility also has an open space for holding musical events.