17
BUILDING PROJECTS
NEWFOUNDLAND, CANARY WHARF LONDON
Diamond life
Newfoundland, the first residential project in Canary Wharf – and London’s tallest build to rent scheme – has been completed, and it’s an architectural landmark in its own right. Lead architect Billie Lee spoke to Jack Wooler about its distinctive structure
metres, Newfoundland is a prominent addition to London’s skyline, and currently the tallest purpose built build to rent apartment block in the capital. Designed by Horden Cherry Lee (HCL)
T
for Vertus, the residential arm of the Canary Wharf Group, the project has been hailed by its owners as an “architectural and engineering masterpiece.” This is largely based on the external diagrid structure, which allowed the team to overcome challenging site issues while making the building a recognisable landmark across the city. Rising 58 storeys, the building contains 636 apartments, ranging in size from studios to three-bedroom family homes. Vertus intended to stand out from the competition by kitting the building out to a standard that would make it “the pinnacle of the BtR sector.” This is manifested as a certain level of luxury plus 13,000 m2
of
amenities which should appeal to its demographic, including rentable gaming and dining spaces, fitness studios and even ‘wine dispensers.’
Situated on the western edge of the
Canary Wharf estate, residents have been able to snag a prime dockside setting – and be able to walk the length of the dock to the underground station away from traffic. They will also enjoy many restaurants, bars, shops and events spaces situated minutes away from their home.
The scheme has been designed to
save over 8,000 kg of CO2 emissions with the installation of PV solar panels on the roof alone, and it also features a variety
he first residential building on the main Canary Wharf estate was completed this spring. At 218
of wildflowers to bolster biodiversity in the estate.
Setting a precedent Founded in 1993, the Canary Wharf Group has taken great strides to regenerate what was a deprived area, and owns nearly 100 acres of property at Canary Wharf as well as elsewhere in London. They have over 1,000 staff working 24/7 running the Wharf day to day, including landscaping, arts, events, and even security – and have been central to transforming the area into the major business district it is today. While the group’s new residential ‘neighbourhood’ (the adjacent Wood Wharf) has created housing in the area – including the Herzog & de Meuron- designed One Park Drive – Newfoundland is the first scheme to be granted residential consent in the central business zone itself. The site had previously been zoned to allow a tall building to be developed, but it had reportedly been overlooked for redevelopment as it had been considered too small to make an office scheme viable. Equally, a previous planning permission for a 140-room hotel wasn’t able to be brought to fruition.
When HCL were brought on to the project in 2010, they were tasked with converting the permission – which was “not making the most of the zoning it benefitted from” – and to maximise the site’s potential.
“Building heights in the area were only governed by London City Airport, and so this was clearly an exciting opportunity – and a tower was the clear choice,” says Billie Lee, lead architect and director at the practice. “It was obvious from the outset
FRAMING DIAGRID
The tubular steel, alu clad diagrid exoskeleton frames views of the London skyline
ADF OCTOBER 2021
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