Forest Gate Guide Posts (Shape Newham)
Shape Newham launched in 2019 to co-design and install imaginative and original public space improvement projects across the borough. Local residents and businesses were invited to a series of community events and workshops to choose the location and priorities for each project.
The Guide Posts are located at the crossroad of Romford Road and Upton Lane where historically there used to be a guide post for directing people through Forest Gate. The installation reinterprets the historical connection between the North and South of Forest Gate, indicating the train station to the North while also encouraging people to explore SoRo (South of the Romford Road). Facing East, a set of muscles point in the direction of the gym where Arnold Schwarzenegger trained during his time living in Forest Gate; while a loaf of bread symbolises the Hovis bakery hidden to the West on Chaucer Road.
The installation was designed by Office S&M and the installation was completed in Autumn 2023.
View before installation:
Views after installation:
- Coming soon
The Guide Posts installation is part of the Council’s Shape Newham programme. For more information on this programme, including information on the community engagement process and locations of all the Shape Newham projects across Newham please visit the Shape Newham page.