Ram Quarter is an exciting new mixed-use development at the heart of the London Borough of Wandsworth. One of the scheme’s most striking architectural elements is its rooftop cladding of pre-patinated copper, intended to reflect the site’s intriguing industrial heritage.
The site was formerly home to the Young’s brewery and its regeneration has encompassed the restoration of historic buildings alongside the construction of stunning new-build apartments. Greenland Group UK, the developer of Ram Quarter, was keen that the site’s material specification should reflect its history and deliver high-quality design and long-term durability.
The appointed architectural practice for the scheme was tasked with ensuring that the development design complemented both the industrial character of the site and its transformation into a residential neighbourhood.
Architectural director explained: ‘The Brewery had evolved in line with modernisation of beer production, resulting in a wide variety of building sizes, architectural styles and materials. The older, more interesting buildings used traditional brick and most were retained within the masterplan, including the prominent brick chimney – a constant on the Wandsworth skyline for over a century. The bricks for new buildings pick up on the tonal quality of the retained structures and other buildings within the neighbouring conservation area.’
‘The oldest fermenting and brewing vessels within the old brewery were copper. It was this association that inspired us to predominantly clad the upper two floors of the tallest residential buildings in copper. Here, it works well alongside our brick selection and also zinc clad elements that help differentiate the buildings visually.
‘Adjacent to the historic brewery complex we introduced a playful vertical expression to one of the new buildings – a nod to the industrial vats that once covered the site. This part of the building is raised from the ground with softer rounded corners and vertically-ribbed profiled copper cladding, with a concrete soffit.’
The three phases of Ram Quarter will deliver 713 homes ranging from studios to 4-bedroom duplexes, and nearly 100,000 sq ft of shops and community and leisure facilities over 8 acres. The development is located on the banks of the River Wandle, this section of which has now been opened to the public for the first time in centuries through the redevelopment. The River Wandle is an iconic part of Wandsworth’s identity and has played a major role in its economic and industrial history. It now provides residents with the opportunity for waterside living in the heart of one of London’s most sought-after villages.
