The buildings’ reach nine storeys at its tallest on the northern
side and stepping down to stitch in with the eclectic Fitzrovian
architecture, which mixes Victorian, Georgian and Edwardian
styles.
The facade has been broken down into vertical elements to
address the street. Likewise, the uses are contextual with the
commercial elements on the south side of the plot and the
apartments and retail linked to the residential areas to the north.
The massing on the south-west side is stepped to draw light into
the garden during the afternoon and evening.
Brick, ceramics and specialist metals form the material
palette, picking up on the rich detailing in the area. It is largely
monochrome, promoting smooth, clean lines and allowing the
garden and the jade-green passageways to be the main feature.
The street-facing elements have a clay-faced brick that is a
similar tone but without the glazed finish of the internal facing
bricks. The proportions of the bricks are longer than average, with
recessed horizontal mortar joints, while the vertical joint is flush
to emphasise the strong sense of horizontality in the materials.
THE BUILDING AND ROUTES HAVE
DELIBERATELY BEEN DESIGNED AS
THE BACKDROP TO THE GARDEN,
WITH GLAZED CERAMIC BRICKWORK
REFLECTING THE COLOURS AND
SEASONS.
The routes through the scheme vary: some are wide and open
to the sky, entering through patinated bronze gates designed by
Robert Orchardson and meandering through the garden, while
others are covered and less obvious, with jade green glazed
ceramic passageways that evoke the precedent of the 18th-
century Newman Passage. Here the bullnose detail and crackle
glaze finish encapsulate the high level of detail and finish that has
gone into the project.
The proportions of these passageways vary too: one is narrower,
with a glass bridge that connects the residential elements to the
north and west of the site, while the other is broader. The ceramic
archways are punctuated by windows that allow glimpses into the
retail units behind.
The 1,800 m2 garden complements the architecture with a series
of spaces that include a rich planting palette, water features and
public seating. A central lawn is framed by semi-mature trees,
shrubs and planting. The lawn rises gently towards a tactile curved
wooden bench that divides the lawn from the planting, its dark
colour contrasting with the surrounding planting and stone.
The building and routes have deliberately been designed as the
backdrop to the garden, with glazed ceramic brickwork reflecting
the colours and seasons, and the passageways providing a glimpse
of the sensory experience beyond and providing a heightened
sense of arrival.