The first of a series of bespoke artwork panels were installed beneath Falcon Road railway bridge last week, marking a significant milestone in an ambitious scheme to transform one of south London’s most notorious underpasses.
On Monday 10 November 2025, the transformation of Falcon Road rail bridge in Clapham Junction reached an exciting milestone with the installation of the first major artwork panels on the underpass walls.
This significant phase of the project, led by the design collective GPAD, marked a visible step forward in the ambitious five-month programme to revitalise this much-maligned bridge corridor.
In a previous article we wrote:
“Nobody likes the Falcon Road railway bridge. Dark, dirty, loud and always mysteriously wet, the prospect of running the gauntlet of drips from the leaky bridge structure (or – worse – from the many resident pigeons) discourages non-residents from venturing up the Falcon Road. But like it or not, it’s unavoidable lowlight for those of us who live north of the railway.”
Spanning approximately 100 metres, the bridge underpass has long been a gloomy passage for pedestrians and traffic alike, and this is not a pleasant feature in Clapham Junction. It reinforces the divide in Battersea, with a ‘north’ dominated by towers and estate layouts, and a ‘south’ filled with a sea of Victorian terraces, and limits the trade for the businesses on Falcon Road.
That is why, when the Council announced in August 2024 the launch of a design competition to transform and enhance the Falcon Bridge underpass in Clapham Junction, it immediately became exciting and much-welcomed news.
- Read our previous article: Design competition launched to transform Falcon Bridge underpass in Clapham Junction
“Beyond the Bridge”, a project presented by a collaborative design team of GPAD (an award winning architecture & interior design practice based in Hackney, London), POoR Collective, MRG Studio, Sutton Vane Associates, Cundall, and MDA Consulting was chosen as winners in December 2024.
- Read our article: Winner for Falcon Bridge makeover competition revealed
The team engaged with extensive local community consultation initially in order to move the project from concept to implementation. This included co-design workshops and drop-in events at Lavender Hill library, and around the bridge itself, exploring how designs could reflect the area’s unique identity and history while addressing practical concerns.
The consultation revealed strong support for increased lighting, greenery, and improved safety, alongside concerns about pigeons (the first and utmost concern raised by many respondents told the team), dampness, vehicle splash, and the need for long-term maintenance. Then work started.
The artwork panels are being installed
The initial set includes six panels, each featuring distinct iconic local references. Three panels celebrate architectural landmarks, whilst three honour the natural environment. Among the architectural subjects are the Grand theatre, the cupola of Arding & Hobbs and the chimney of the Battersea Power Station. Nature is represented through imagery of lavender plants, daffodils, and the Peace Pagoda located in Battersea Park.
On some of the panels, you can also notice the railway lines and the historic Falconbrook river running beneath the road—a watercourse long covered since the late 19th century. The inclusion of these motifs mirrors the ongoing narrative celebration of local heritage designed to foster community pride.
“It took a couple of months to decide what would feature on the panels,” explained the design team. “Eventually, the final icons were developed following and during the community engagement/workshops.”
The decision to create six distinct designs was deliberate.
“Six is the right number where you can swap them over, but it doesn’t look too repetitive,” they noted.
In a playful touch that celebrates Battersea’s heritage, the designers (the agency Smiling Wolf) have discreetly incorporated bees throughout the panels—a detail they hope will become a treasure hunt for young passers-by. The bee is a longstanding symbol of Battersea, representing not only the area’s historic market gardens and once-abundant lavender fields, but also paying tribute to the industrious spirit of the communities who have shaped the neighbourhood over generations.
The newly installed panels come from the Isle of Wight, made by A.J Wells& Sons Ltd, a company that specialises in the manufacture and installation of signage, cladding and products for outdoor use and train stations.
Each panel was meticulously crafted using durable vitreous enamel—a material used widely across Transport for London network, known for its resilience and longevity of up to 25 years. Their production involves a remarkably complex process: screen printing followed by six separate baking stages—one for the undercoat and five additional firings for each colour layer.
The panels’ positioning has been carefully considered. On one side of the underpass, where the pavement is narrower, they will be mounted flush against the wall. On the opposite side, where space permits, they will be installed in a zigzag configuration, creating different visual perspectives for pedestrians walking in either direction. The height of the panels also varies as one progresses through the tunnel, reflecting the changing ground levels. Some panels will deliberately reveal imagery of the hidden river.
Further enhancements include covering cables running along the tunnel walls with similar panels (but with simpler geometric design) made to be detachable for maintenance access behind them. While the panels cover most of the walls, bricks at the top and bottom edges have been left visible, painted dark blue to facilitate ongoing inspection and upkeep.
Preparatory work began in June, with teams cleaning and painting the bridge, upgrading the structure, and installing new lighting. The lighting design, the project team noted, was particularly complex. It serves a dual purpose: illuminating the panels and ensuring safe passage for both pedestrians and traffic. Interestingly, the lights are deliberately brighter during the day to avoid a stark contrast when moving from open air into the tunnel. At night, the lighting is subtly softened to provide continuity without glare, whilst catering to safer travel and highlighting the new artworks.
Responding to local concerns identified in resident surveys, pigeon-proofing emerged as the primary consideration, with deterrents incorporated throughout the design. “Pigeon proofing was the number one concern,” confirmed the project team, who have implemented preventative measures across multiple areas.
At each entrance, panels will wrap around the end walls, with seating to be installed on both sides. Illuminated signage displaying the bridge’s name will mark each entrance, providing clear wayfinding for users.
The project has not been without complications. It needed a strong collaboration with Network Rail, adhering to strict safety rules particularly related to work visible to train drivers, including lighting design to avoid distractions.
Despite smooth progress on many works, a surprising discovery of severe corrosion on part of the bridge’s structure necessitated an overnight closure to vehicles from 17 November 2025 for urgent repairs, reflecting the complex challenges of modernising a historic railway bridge.
Further improvements on the Falcon Road corridor should follow
The current phase is scheduled for completion by mid-December, with all panels installed and the lettering affixed to the bridge façade over the coming weeks.
The overall scheme is part of Wandsworth Council’s Decade of Renewal, slated for completion by mid-December 2025, aligning with Wandsworth’s year as London Borough of Culture 2025.
Looking ahead, a second phase aims to enhance the entire Falcon Road corridor up to York Road, improving pedestrian crossings and further elevating the user experience.
It is not very often that a big, striking transformation takes place in Clapham Junction. Within the last two decades, we have witnessed the Exemplar scheme—a comprehensive transformation of pavements within Clapham Junction town centre—and, in some respects, the renovation of the iconic Arding & Hobbs building, although that unfortunately meant the loss of much of the public access to the building itself. However, the current refurbishment of Falcon Road rail bridge offers something altogether different: a dramatic, inclusive transformation fully dedicated to the general public.
The project follows in the footsteps of Thessaly Road Railway Bridge in Battersea, which underwent a similar transformation more than six years ago through a design competition partnered between Wandsworth Council and the London Festival of Architecture. The regeneration of that bridge near New Covent Garden Market offered a successful template for the current work.
Yet Falcon Road Bridge surpasses the Thessaly example in ambition and scope. This transformation is more than a refurbishment; it is a cultural and community statement turning a once neglected gateway into a brighter, safer, and more inviting passage. It honours local history, addresses practical concerns, and elevates the everyday with artistry and thoughtful design, potentially signalling a new chapter for Clapham Junction’s urban fabric.
