Where: 10-13 Urban Hive, Theydon Road, E5
Who For: Pleasant Hill Properties
What: 48 flats and 1943 sqm commercial
Architect: fourth_space
CMA secured approved for this scheme in 2023, which will deliver 48 new homes and nearly 2000 sqm of commercial space.
Challenged with a site within a Priority Employment Area that is undergoing many changes, this proposal balances a viable blend of good quality office/studio space on the lower floors and apartments on the upper floors. There is a rational approach to the architecture featuring a single ‘U’ shaped block with layouts that ‘stack’ through the building showing an understanding how structure and services can be simplified. The arrangement allows for 100% of the flats to be dual aspect.
Externally, the design developed with careful consideration of the wider architectural context of the mansion house and warehouse building typologies. As such the blend of facing brick and precast concrete elements impressed upon the council design officers an elegance and thoughtfulness on how the proportion and elemental forms are presented. This is a building that has been designed to a high level of detail at planning stages to help ensure that the delivery is easily achievable.