CASE STUDY 23
distinctive architecture.
Berkeley Homes divisional managing director Karl Whiteman details the long- running gestation of the development: “When we came here in the 1990s, Woolwich town centre was on its knees, as the historic munitions factory which once employed 80,000 people had closed. The site itself had the challenges of being vast, derelict and cut off.” He continued, explaining the planning process on the development: “Over the last 20 years there have been four masterplan ‘evolutions’ to reflect changing planning policies, marketing conditions, changing lifestyles and customer demands and to accommodate Crossrail.” Whiteman told Housebuilder + Developer that the success is a testament to the “strong partnership” between the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Greater London Authority, “who together have navigated the complexity of the site with a shared vision of regeneration.” “Our initial planning permission in
2000 was for 536 homes. Fast forward 20 years, and multiple masterplan evolutions, and we now find ourselves in a position where a Crossrail station will open here next year and by 2030 there will be 5,106 homes, almost tenfold what was originally envisaged.” This position was reportedly only attained by stakeholders such as the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the Greater London Authority sharing Berkeley Home’s vision for the long term regenera- tion project.
The new buildings created by Berkeley have been placed perpendicular to the waterfront, with the intention of maximis- ing views across the water. This placement also creates a new ‘green link,’ connecting central Woolwich to the Thames. There are wider benefits to waterside living for residents. Studies have shown that views of calm water can ease stress, and proximity to water can induce hormones such as dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin in humans. Levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, are also known to drop when people are close to water.
These factors, combined with a new
park, allow for a serene living space around the new apartments, albeit in close proxim- ity to the centre of the capital, and located near a new cultural hub.
LOOKING INSIDE The apartments in Waterside I and II are all open plan, creating a strong sense of space. Each of the apartments have individ- ually designed layouts, with stainless steel detailing and warm finishes that benefit both form and function.
The interiors are contemporarily styled,
utilising natural limestone and textured wood finishes. A muted colour palette with highly reflective surfaces has also been incorporated to evoke images of yachts on the water.
According to David Ferns, managing director of the project’s interior designers, CID Interieurs, the team took the archi- tect’s concept of ‘verticality’, and repeated it in the design detailing of the kitchens, bathrooms, and internal doors to build a connection with the building’s exterior. Ferns commented on how the interiors of the buildings have been designed to benefit from their location: “We use open plan layouts to maintain the impressive river vistas, with simple, monolithic forms and textured materials to maximise space and natural light.
“The bathrooms really show how these concepts translate into simple forms, contrasting textures and lighting.” Safety and security have also been
important considerations in the apart- ments, and a range of services have been provided to safeguard residents. These include mains supplied smoke detectors and sprinklers with heat detection in the kitchens, apartment entrance doors all built to Secured by Design standards to meet Metropolitan Police requirements, lockable windows, a 24-hour Concierge service, and monitored CCTV.
SUSTAINABILITY FIRST The homes are being constructed to achieve Level 4 of the Code for Sustainable
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