On a constrained site in the London neighbourhood of Hackney Wick, Tiger Way combines residential apartment dwellings with a high-quality learning environment. Central to the scheme is ensuring the school and residential uses each have their own identity while together presenting a sense of unity and community. Throughout the project, Hawkins\Brown worked closely with the Local Education Partnership.
Oriented towards a community with a more intimate scale of two storeys, the classrooms wrap-around ground floor play spaces in a way that provides a feeling of security and well-being. Additional play space for the school is provided additionally at roof level while a large flexible space called the park room overlooks Hackney Downs.
The residential units are also placed facing Hackney Downs park where the scale of the large park allows the towers containing 89 units to be taller.
Uniting the architecture of the two uses from the exterior is a terracotta rainscreen in three subtle shades of cream. Providing differentiation and a sense of individual identity, the school features playful green window frames while the residential component is detailed with sophisticated bronze features.
A strong botanical theme is common to both components. In the school, the external fence and bold mural reveal the beautiful feature of the leaves of Hackney Downs. In the residential scheme, the sophisticated interior palette of the concierge was influenced by natural material and botanical imagery.
