Comprising 48 private and 18 affordable new homes and a 400 bed hotel, this new mixed use development has rejuvenated a site that had been vacant for over 10 years. Our aim was to create an elegant, beautiful and unique building to compliment and enhance this important location within Tower Hamlets.
Despite close proximity to Canary Wharf, the immediate context is mid to low rise buildings, therefore, the building form consists of interlocking volumes, all of which respond sympathetically to the context in scale and orientation. This approach facilitates the creation of a tall building which maximises the potential of this constrained urban location.
The lower form, containing residential and hotel uses, generates a podium block relating to the height and scale of the surrounding context, and provides active uses at ground floor level. Its materiality takes reference from the existing brickwork buildings and DLR viaduct - brick clad precast panels with deep inset windows and piers reduce as the building increases in height. Together with the inclined window reveals, this provides a lighter appearance against the skyline.
The hotel fronts West India Dock Road and rises to create an L-shaped bookend at the furthest point from Salter Street, naturally protecting and providing shelter to the generous landscape garden at level 7, a central shared residential amenity and child play space.
The secondary subservient form sits behind the bookend, provides further residential apartments and steps down to meet the podium. These upper residential apartments have a glass façade consisting of clear and opaque glazing, which compliments and contrasts with the solidity of the podium’s façade. A combination of winter gardens and Juliet balconies animate the façade.
Carefully developed public realm proposals and a complimentary active ground floor ensure a positive contribution is made to the surrounding public area, acting as a catalyst for future developments and transformational change in the area.