Thomas Heatherwick is determined to make the capital a more human city

'London should be more eccentric – we need to be brave'

- DYLAN JONES

Thomas Heatherwick sits in his King's Cross design studio, wildly gesticulating with every part of his body.

The superstar designer has an infectious charm and energy, and he is on a mission: to help make London, in his words, "a more generous, human city." The man behind London icons ranging from the 2012 Olympic torch to the new Routemaster bus, to the Coal Drops Yard complex, also at Kings Cross, fears London has taken a wrong course that risks putting the capital dangerously behind the new rising conurbations of Asia.

One solution he espouses is what he calls "a radical shift in the way we use the ground floor of buildings." He explains: "Instead of endless shopping, let's create streets filled with health and community space, places where older people and families feel comfortable, and somewhere to showcase all the unbelievable creative talent there is in London.

"Instead of remorselessly driving revenue from business rates, councils would see a surge in economic activity from increased social interaction. I'd love to see city centres focus on reimagining what they can offer the public: life, purpose and a little joy. And personally, I don't mind buildings being taller in exchange for dedicating their ground floor to the public.

"Too many buildings today fail to engage with the street - it's as if they are turning their backs on us. Their internal world is special but the outsides of the buildings are pretty mean.

What we need is to turn them inside out.