Common Grounds

Macchiato, a coffee-inspired pocket park by OUT Architecture, proves that even the smallest initiative can leave a lasting impression.

WORDS Palesa Mohola PHOTOS Fredrico Farinatti

Situated outside The Colombian Coffee Company on the historic and busy Petticoat Lane as part of the London Festival of Architecture 2026, the temporary public space transforms an overlooked corner of the city into a space that invites people to pause, gather and reconnect.

This year’s festival explores the theme of Belonging, celebrating architecture’s ability to bring together both the public and the design profession. Macchiato’s circular seating, developed and built by Red Collective & Jamps Studio, references the familiar coffee ring left behind after a shared cup, but it also takes us back to the age-old tradition of gathering in a circle, whether around a fire sharing a meal and telling stories or a good old huddle. Circles have always been a symbol of closeness, bringing people together in connection and community across cultures.

There could not be a more fitting setting than Petticoat Lane. For centuries, the bustling market street has been shaped by London’s working-class communities and successive waves of migration, becoming a place where cultures, traditions and stories intersect. By creating another place to gather, Macchiato quietly adds a new chapter to that history while reinforcing the street’s enduring identity as a meeting place.

Every design decision contributes to this narrative. The colours of the park blend well with its surroundings; the soft brown tones of the pebbles reflect those of both coffee and the surrounding brick buildings, allowing the installation to feel as though it has always existed in the space, seemingly worlds away from the modern buildings in the near distance.

The oxidised patches on the steel planters introduce a rustic feel that speaks to durability and reinvention, while the steel benches bring a contrast between the old and the new. The greenery, provided by Susanna Grant of LINDA and Will Sholey of Sholey Garden and Design, softens the hard urban landscape, evoking a sense of the outdoors without having to leave the city in search of nature. The pebbles in varying shades of brown can be read as a subtle nod to the different stages coffee beans go through, from being pitted to the final stage, ready to be ground into the perfect cup of coffee.

In a fast-paced era where movement is promoted and rest areas in cities are becoming scarcer, Macchiato reminds us that meaningful public spaces do not need to be extravagant — sometimes all it takes is a shared circle, a cup of coffee and a thoughtful design to create a genuine sense of belonging. Every corner on Petticoat Lane has a story to tell, and now Macchiato is the corner where all those stories are shared. | out-architecture.com

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