SOCIAL & AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT REPORT LEFT
The masterplan makes use of many of the existing mature trees on the estate
this “was part of my attraction to the project. I really enjoyed living there – the sense of proximity to central London – you are very close to the river and I used to walk to work.”
He says that estate agents are now attempting to rebrand what is in some parts a run-down district as the more aspira- tional-sounding ‘Walworth Village’ – but making “a distinct divide between the pre- existing (Victorian) housing and that which has been demolished and rebuilt.”
Design drivers: a stitch in time
The main design driver for the masterplan is an attempt to provide a varied and rich set of new residential areas with a distinct individual character, in contrast to the impersonal environments currently on offer. Putting the emphasis on reinstating streets plus landscaped squares with in some cases houses with front doors at street level and kitchens at the front would foster greater social interaction. This will “stitch a piece of the city back” into the surrounding streetscape, says Morton; a key driver for HTA.
The approach will be an important change from the current, explicitly contrast- ing horizontal behemoths which can make those unfamiliar with the area, particularly pedestrians or cyclists, feel alienated. Morton explains: “We were keen to take the surrounding street patterns and look at how to reconnect. The street I used to live on for example, there was a brick wall at the end and a slab building.”
He says that creating new areas which harmonise with the existing fabric doesn’t mean uniformity, and the masterplan intro- duces ‘character areas’ to ensure this: “Stitching the development into the surroundings is about being able to walk through a neighbourhood and appreciate the richness – there will be changes, but it won’t be presenting you with areas that look strange and which you don’t understand. It was designed as an estate – but we’re making it into a piece of the city.” This approach is something of a reaction to Southwark Borough’s original Area Action Plan (AAP) which proposed what Morton described as a “big gesture approach” of introducing large-scale land- scaped “green fingers” into the development. The design team took the
ADF OCTOBER 2016
view that this would reduce connection with the city and proposed a different solu- tion, and one which would ultimately deliver more green space overall. The more varied and fragmented approach that has been arrived at contrasts with the current design of the estate, which in Morton’s words, is “big blocks, big spaces where the whole thing is the piece.” The new development is not without its tall buildings however, with blocks up to 20 stories planned in the FDS, but they are relatively slim towers. Morton describes how HTA undertook a study that took a piece of Mayfair (“an area of London very much based on streets and squares,” and overlaid it onto the site: “It was fascinating overlaying that on this site and how you get a real sense of place and how you would navigate the streets and the open spaces. They bring shape and character.” The masterplan attempts to reduce car parking as part of a key focus on encourag- ing cycling (which will help towards its BREEAM Communities accreditation). However car parking in a variety of arrangements, along tree-lined streets, has been planned in as part of the urban fabric.
Using trees as a design tool
One of the benefits offered by the existing estate being harnessed by the masterplan is the large number of mature trees, many of which will be retained; a key driver from the AAP. David Morton says that in contrast to the replacement of the nearby Heygate Estate, “where very little tree retention was proposed, and which was a “significant factor in responses against the application,” the design team has used trees extensively to help guide street plans. “As part of the street and square response we started to look at where we could retain groups of trees and really work with those. This was seen as a good driving point for a good street layout and an opportunity to retain something of the previous estate that was of value, providing ecological benefit.” Tree retention will be maximised by using some of the existing road layout, and the streets and squares approach will link tree- lined streets to open spaces positioned where clusters of existing trees are located. In some cases buildings have been aligned to ensure that particularly good quality trees are retained, and new trees will be planted throughout the plan, helping to reinforce the street hierarchy, emphasise key routes, and provide continuity across the development.
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Stitching the development into the surroundings is about being being able to walk through a neighbourhood and appreciate the richness David Morton
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