This mixed-use development, comprises of a ground floor commercial unit, seven residential flats, and a standalone studio house. The building is built within the curtilage of the Neckinger Mills site, a Grade II Listed 19th Century former tannery mill. The Jubilee Underground railway line was constructed 26 metres directly under the site creating a significant design parameter for the new development along with the existing mainline railway viaduct and simultaneous redevelopment of the adjacent Drill Hall site.
What was the brief?
The brief was to maximise the potential development value of a constrained site occupied by a single storey workshop over shadowed by railway arches and adjacent to a listed building by renewing the commercial function and introducing additional residential use on to the site.
What were the key challenges?
The key challenges of the project included:
1. The justification of residential intensification on a former industrial site.
2. The protection of existing residential amenity within the neighbouring converted warehouse.
3. The integration of new residential accommodation in close proximity to existing industrial uses, a main line railway and Underground tube line.
4. The sensitive design of a contemporary building adjacent to a former 19th Century Grade II Listed tannery mill.
What were the solutions?
The proposed solution to the key challenges were:
1. The retention of commercial business use at ground floor with new offices facing a new landscaped courtyard incorporating car and cycle parking.
2. A stepped massing to the upper floors orientating the building away from the neighbouring residential windows to protect privacy and access to daylight and sunlight.
3. Integration of high performance acoustic glazing to the new residences.
4. Use of a sensitive palette of materials including brick, render and mill finished extruded aluminium mesh, respecting both the historic and contemporary context.
What are the sustainability features?
The building incorporates a range of sustainable features including:
1. Sustainable urban drainage with a large rainwater storage tank protecting the existing sewerage system.2. Photovoltaic solar cells providing renewable electricity.
3. Residential ventilation systems with heat recovery.
4. The apartments achieved a Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable Homes and the offices a BREAM Very Good rating.
Who are the clients and what's interesting about them?
The site owners are Obenshaw Ltd a company who oversaw the conversion of the original warehouse into apartment’s and studios in the 1970’s, some of the first Loft apartments in London. The large apartments span the full width of the building with large open plan spaces with original exposed structural steel frame, timber floors and steel windows.
Mark Fairhurst Architects first encountered the building in 2002 when founding the practice and established a studio in the building.
Already having a working relationship with Kuropatwa Ltd. Mark Fairhurst Architects was appointed to develop the scheme design, maximising the potential of a new scheme and coordinating the technical design with contractor and design team.
What building methods were used?
Due to the Underground tunnel below a light weight steel frame was proposed. The frame sits on deep reinforced concrete strip foundations. The foundations step away from the existing footings and are cantilevered to the viaduct to avoid undermining the existing structure. Pre-cast hollow core concrete panels create the floor slabs. The cladding was kept lightweight with a cold pressed steel frame with brick and rendered cladding applied.
How is the project unique?
The building has been crafted to suit a unique urban environment in the heart of London. It has been crafted in respond to the existing historic context, transport and neighbours’ amenity adjacent to the site. The design utilises a composition of traditional and contemporary materials sympathetic to the existing industrial heritage. The contemporary aesthetic makes a coherent and legible addition to the urban landscape.
