Inside our development, the apartments are arranged around
a central space on the first to fifth floors. Residents can enjoy
balconies, terraces and 177 square meters of communal space
including a rooftop play area. At ground level, four commercial units
offer flexible space, designed to appeal to creative businesses. The
development is car-free, pedestrian and cyclist-friendly, with 77
cycle spaces for residents and business tenants. Green roofs will
provide natural cooling in the summer and insulation in the winter.
These mini wildlife zones will boost the local ecology, adding yet
another dimension to this mixed and vibrant community. And a
nearby energy centre will ensure the energy consumption remains
as sustainable as possible.
While not strictly modular the design was developed to facilitate
delivery and offsite procurement by working hand in hand with
Aitch Construction’s team and other professionals: apartments
and services stack vertically, transfer slabs were ironed out,
excavation was reduced to a minimum, vertical RC elements
and stone bands designed to be pre-cast, support brackets were
reduced and masonry panels made consistent in size, bathrooms
were standardised and decks designed in prefabricated lightweight
steels etc. And more than modular solutions we learnt tha t the
latest generation of BIM softwares and close collaboration within
the project team can deliver cost-efficient design solutions.
Whether units are for sale or rent, Londoners need light,
flexibility, and space to interact. Housing that’s cleverly laid out
and imaginatively designed. Tightly laid out on site, to make the
most of brownfield land, yet still spacious inside. Part of a wider
community, but tailored to the lives of those inside. That doesn’t
mean less profitable, or less practical. And what we learnt is that
Local Authorities will support dense schemes that take the housing
needs of the community into account, whatever the tenure.
Thoughtful, friendly, flexible housing. This is the true meaning of
luxury in a city like London.