16 HOUSING Site plan showing the mix of tenure types on the island site
All the buildings have an in situ concrete frame. Originally the architect wanted to render some elements of the exteriors, but the planners wanted a more muted appearance, in brick. ‘I think it is a shame,’ said Cottingham. The main brick is a Danehill Yellow facing brick, which Cottingham describes as ‘a very traditional London brick’. On the areas where it wanted contrast, such as the stair towers to the supported block, the architect settled instead of render for a very smooth Ibstock Lavenham Multi in cream. The plinth courses to all the buildings are in a Baggeridge smooth blue brick. Copings and sills are in Pennine reconstituted stone.
In contrast, the shared ownership block has terracotta cladding tiles. These help it stand out from the social housing, which goes against the new orthodoxy of making tenure
types indistinguishable. But on this site, which is difficult to start with, and with a mix of occupants scarcely top of anybody’s wish list, giving a little kudos to the block in order to attract buyers seems sensible. In addition, on a project that is deliberately low-key, it creates what Cottingham describes as a ‘mini landmark’, visible from the Docklands Light Railway which passes close by.
In addition to the brick used, there is a metallic palette on the development. Roofs are Rheinzink standing seam in its ‘Bright’ finish, also used for soffits and fascias. But there are some metal panels on the walls, and these are in a graphite grey, picking up the colour used on the powder-coated aluminium windows. Rooms facing onto Commercial Road have windows to acoustic standards. And all the apartments, apart from
those in the elderly supported housing, have metal balconies.
Internally, the buildings are planned to normal social-housing standards, with the addition of common rooms in the elderly supported housing, and a an office for Gateway Housing Association on the northeast corner of the site. But the relationship between the buildings, and the creation of common spaces, makes this a decent neighbour for Hawksmoor’s church and a proper place to live, rather than just a depressing agglomeration of buildings.
CREDITS Architect
- MEPK
Design & Build Contractor - Rooff
Standing seam roof and panels to walls - Rheinzink
Bricks - Danehill; Ibstock: Baggeridge
Terracotta cladding tiles - Naturot
Windows and doors - DWL
Reconstituted stone copings and sills - Pennine Stone Ltd
Balconies
- Metfab Architectural & Municipal Metalwork
The new buildings come up to the site boundary, re-establishing the urban grain
Bricks and some metal cladding create unassertive neighbours for the listed church
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Paving blocks - Marshalls
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