New Commission: David Samuel for Hanger Lane
© Photography by Declan Driver
A new public artwork by local artist and creative director David Samuel has been unveiled at Hanger Lane, transforming a prominent site beside the station and celebrating the area's identity as a place of movement, community and connection.
Titled Connection, the two-part mural is located on the walls of Hanger Lane Gyratory, a key route linking Hanger Lane station, The Stay Club development and Park Royal. The commission marks Hanger Lane as a gateway to Park Royal Design District, bringing colour, movement and a renewed sense of identity to one of west London's busiest and most overlooked public spaces.
The project was realised through a partnership between David Samuel, Transport for London, local councillors and Kiran Rao, Chair of Park Royal Design District (PRDD). Rao's longstanding connection to the area, together with her commitment to championing culture, design and creativity within Park Royal, helped bring the commission to life.
For Rao, the project grew from a desire to celebrate Hanger Lane not simply as a transport interchange, but as
a place with its own histories, communities and cultural identity.
The first mural, situated on the west wall of the gyratory, is composed of 46 linked ovals extending across the length of the wall. The number references the 46 chromosomes found in most human cells, offering a simple reminder that, beneath our differences, people share far more than divides them.
As the sequence unfolds, the forms bend, morph and shift, reflecting the continuous movement of vehicles, trains and pedestrians passing through Hanger Lane every day. Four colours travel across the composition, each accompanied by its own shadow, creating a rhythm that echoes the surrounding flow of infrastructure and movement.
The second mural develops these ideas through a series of 50 interconnected forms inspired by shared genetic ancestry and the understanding that every person on Earth is connected through distant family lines. Together, the two works become a meditation on movement, shared experience and the invisible relationships that connect people, places and everyday journeys.The murals draw inspiration from the architecture of Hanger Lane station, the surrounding urban landscape and the intersecting transport networks that define the area, while also acknowledging the residential communities that call Hanger Lane home. Through this layered visual language, Connection brings together infrastructure and belonging, movement and memory.
© Photography by Declan Driver
Kiran Rao, Chair of Park Royal Design District, said:
"Public spaces are where our daily lives intersect, and great public art has the power to make those spaces more welcoming, memorable and meaningful. In a place where so many journeys cross, Connection is a reminder that we are all linked in ways both visible and unseen.
Connection celebrates the unique character of Hanger Lane while helping to create a stronger sense of place for everyone who passes through it. I'm incredibly proud to have helped facilitate a lasting piece of public art by a talented local artist from the Park Royal community—work that improves the public realm, reflects the identity of this area and reminds us of the commonality we share."David Samuel said:
"Connection is rooted in the idea that Hanger Lane is more than a junction or a station—it is a place where thousands of individual journeys cross every day. I wanted the murals to reflect that movement while also carrying a more human message about the things we share.
The linked forms, changing patterns and flowing colour create a rhythm that responds to the traffic, trains and people moving through the gyratory. At the same time, the work is about connection on a wider level: between local communities, Park Royal, the people passing through the area and the shared histories that link us all."
The commission demonstrates how collaboration between artists, Transport for London, local communities and civic partners can transform the public realm while celebrating the distinctive identity of a place.
Connection is now on permanent public display at Hanger Lane Gyratory.
With thanks to Transport for London, Park Royal Design District, local councillors and all those who supported the delivery of the project.
© Photography by Declan Driver
About Park Royal Design District
Park Royal Design District (PRDD) is a nonprofit platform for interdisciplinary creativity embedded within London's largest industrial district.
The organisation champions Park Royal's creative ecology through a year-round programme of exhibitions, performances, talks, open studios and partnerships, supporting the long-term visibility and resilience of local artists, makers, designers and creative businesses.
Manufactory is PRDD's flagship festival, bringing together artists, performers, designers, manufacturers and researchers to explore the intersections of contemporary art, industry and making within one of Europe's most productive landscapes. You can reserve your free pass here.
