IMAGES of how Oxford streets could look if imagination was given a free rein are to go on show next week.

Architects practice Berman Guedes Stretton, of St Clements, is putting on the display — created with hand drawings and computer modelling — to spark debate about the future of the city.

The exhibition, called Dreaming Spires: Dreaming Spaces, is part of the South East Festival of Architecture. It includes ideas for the Radcliffe Infirmary and St Giles, which shows traffic pushed to the side, with stalls and cafe seating in the centre of the street.

Alan Berman, one of the firm’s directors, said cities such as Barcelona and Lille had reaped enormous economic benefits from the visionary attitudes of their local authorities – but Oxford was missing the boat.

He said: “What’s clear to us as designers is that the decisions about public spaces in Oxford are taken piecemeal, in reaction to issues that arise from road engineers, bus companies and parking controllers as well as the city and county councils.

“They make short-term expedient decisions which end up producing very unsatisfactory public spaces.

“We are trying to take a more imaginative approach so that decisions can be taken on a larger scale, rather than as a kneejerk response.”

He added: “It’s a ‘what if’ scenario, thinking about what public spaces could be like in the city.”

Traders in St Giles reacted favourably to the idea. Jan Rasmussen, who used to run Greens Cafe, said: “It’s such a beautiful part of town, but you can't see the trees and the wonderful buildings because you are distracted by cars trying to find parking spaces.”

The exhibition runs from Thursday to Saturday next week at the Ovada Gallery, in Gloucester Green.