Designing urban identities: West London

While much attention has been placed on the drastic changes in East London, there are equally major projects in West London that are reconfiguring the nature of the built environment. Old Oak Common, Earls Court and Acton are just some of the next housebuilding hotspots in London, and with the opening of the East-West Crossrail line and the expansion plans for Heathrow Airport, these projects will drastically transform the economy, cityscape and thus identity of West London. The character of the urban fabric of London varies across the city, and has been shaped over time by varying economic, political and social factors. As new developments emerge they need to both respond to existing conditions and help formulate a future vision and identity for the locale within London. How are these new developments responding to existing and future identities? What is the role of local communities in defining these new areas?