Hip hop hits East Bank

Photos: Hip Hop Games, presented by Sadler’s Wells East and Breakin’ Convention credit Neil Speakman – Studio Maple for LDA Design.

The UK’s largest new cultural quarter, East Bank in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, is coming into its own with one of its first high-profile, free public outdoors events, the Hip Hop Games. A Sadler’s Wells and Breakin’ Convention event bringing together crews of east London dancers to compete in a dance battle on Stratford Waterfront, took place last month with ‘Krumpers’ and ‘Poppers’ going head to head and the audience deciding on the winning team.

LDA Design is responsible for Stratford Waterfront’s public realm and the event’s success was a moment of celebration as the vision to create a common ground, a space where art, fashion and performance is brought into the public domain for all to enjoy, was realised. The design has created the opportunity to stage events with one of London’s best views as backdrop. 

East Bank brings together leading art and culture. The London College of Fashion opened here late last year.

It will be followed next by Sadler’s Wells East, and then new BBC Music Studios and V&A East in 2025. The UCL East campus is also well underway with two buildings open: One Pool Street and Marshgate. The aim behind East Bank is to make sure local people feel that the offer from all of these renowned institutions is meant for them. For the institutions, it’s a chance to reach new audiences and create new opportunities.  

The scheme has been backed by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, who described his vision for East Bank as one where “everyone, regardless of their background, can access world-class culture and education on their doorstep. East Bank is a fantastic collaboration of inter-disciplinary work and world-class institutions that will drive forward growth and inspire more young Londoners to take up creative careers, transforming the communities of east London.”

The dramatic and sculptural landscape designed by LDA Design for Stratford Waterfront includes a series of elegant, richly planted terraces gradually rising from the River Lea and new public squares which provide shared, inclusive spaces for a programme of activity curated by the cultural institutions. The landscape unifies the series of strikingly different buildings by reflecting the strong characteristics of the Park.