Former Cavendish Pupil Leads Transformation of Emanuel Hollow
Tibor Babic designed regenerated area by Dukes Meadows
The new area near the river in Chiswick. Picture: Hounslow Council
July 5, 2026
Emanuel Hollow in Dukes Meadows has been officially reopened to the public after a major programme of improvement works, marking a significant moment in the transformation of the riverside area. The redesign follows extensive community consultation carried out last year and reflects the priorities residents set for a space that had long been underused and affected by drainage problems. The renewed landscape now includes new planting beds, improved pathways and the removal of fencing along the western edge, changes that have opened up the site, improved accessibility and created a more welcoming environment.
The project has been driven by close collaboration between the council, Lampton Greenspace and local community groups, with Tibor Babic leading the design. Tibor’s involvement has a long history in Dukes Meadows. As a child at Cavendish Primary School he was one of the group who helped write the brief for the Trust’s play area in 2012, visiting the architect’s office, approving the designs and touring the construction site in hard hats. The Trust kept in touch with the group into adulthood, and Tibor’s return as lead designer for Emanuel Hollow has given the project a continuity rooted in local experience. He said, “I’m proud of how this once-neglected space has been thoughtfully reimagined as a low-impact, community-led garden. I hope that as the wildflowers establish and local groups continue to get involved, it will grow into a valued space that supports both nature and community life for years to come.”
Kathleen Healy of Dukes Meadows Trust said she had asked Tibor to produce the consultation image for the Pump House and later introduced him to the project team for Emanuel Hollow. She explained that the Trust carried out the consultation that informed the brief and engaged Network Rail to secure gift‑in‑kind works that helped stretch the budget.
Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Public Realm, said the work had been a genuine team effort and that residents’ views had played a central role in shaping a space that better serves the community while respecting its ecological value. He thanked Dukes Meadows Trust for its input throughout the consultation and design stages, Abundance London for developing the planting plan with local ecologist Mick Massie, Great British Rail for donating the steel girders used in the new sculpture, and the local sports clubs and boathouses for their patience during construction. He said the renewed landscape, improved access and striking new landmark rooted in local history had created a welcoming gateway to the borough that links people, place and heritage.
The project team, volunteers, councillor and residents gather for the launch. Picture: Hounslow Council
The Emanuel Hollow Girder Sculpture now sits at the centre of the redesigned space, installed within a landscaped planting bed. Formed from three historic steel girders, each weighing five tonnes and measuring five metres in length, the sculpture provides a visual focal point and a symbolic link between past and present. The girders were removed from Barnes Bridge during strengthening works in 2025 and donated for reuse. Originally part of the bridge reconstruction led by Edward Andrews in 1895, they supported the structure for more than a century before being repurposed as public art.
Tibor at Cavendish Primary School (second in from the left in white T shirt). Picture: Dukes Meadows Trust
Although the main construction work is complete, the evolution of Emanuel Hollow will continue. The council is working with Abundance London, volunteers and an ecologist to deliver future planting days aimed at enhancing biodiversity and re‑greening the site in a sustainable way. The redesign also addresses longstanding drainage problems that caused pooling and flooding during heavy rainfall. New planting beds with boreholes through the sub‑base will redirect water into the planting or nearby drainage systems, making the site more resilient during floods or high water levels in the Thames.
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