Adelaide Wharf

Character

Despite the rational design of the construction and interior layouts, the exterior elevations are brimming with originality and character. The architecture is a mix of engineering brick at ground level a with bright, glossy, enamel clad panels in red and yellow hues, wrapping double height pedestrian entrances . On upper stories, a craned-in unitised cladding system forms horizontal grey zinc bands, which are broken up by vertical panels of rough sawn Siberian larch. These are undulated to create a visual ‘corduroy’ effect, to enliven the elevations and to disguise any differential timber weathering over time. Generous balconies are clad in warmly coloured perforated planes and are staggered to produce double height gaps above and to reduce overshadowing of living rooms below. Balconies are suspended from beams at roof level, which are cantilevered over the roof to mimic lifting beams on original warehouses .

Inside, the enjoyment continues. The concierge, lit by double height glazing from the courtyard, is surrounded by a calm seating area, with a modern recessed bay window keeping an eye on Queensbridge road . A glance up the stairwell reveals a visual puzzle of staggered concrete flights and glazed balustrades. The lobby and stairwell are lined with 16m timber mural designed by local artist Richard Woods, reflecting the sites history as a timber warehouse .

Access to flats is double banked either side of three long corridors served by just two cores. A claustrophobic feeling that often results from long internal corridors is reduced by a greater than average 1750mm width. Natural light is also brought in through large glazed panels at each corridor end, which in the case of the canal side, is a fully glazed slot with double and triple-height voids to maximize light and views out.

Aside from corner units, most lead off the corridors with single aspect views, but smart layouts of a deep plan locate all serviced spaces of kitchens and bathroom along inside walls, with living and bedroom spaces making full use of the window walls. Open plan kitchen and living space are almost all connected to generous, balconies, which, even for the one bed flats, are large enough for a couple of chairs and a table.

High-density living has been achieved on a relatively small brownfield site, and residents’ views out along the canal and over the city skyline have been maximised. The perimeter block is a tried and tested way of defining streets with a coherent, well structured layout while providing a secure, functional living environment. The lively colours and varied form of this distinctive new block, make it a positive addition to the local built form and a navigation landmark in its own right.

Roads, parking and pedestrianisation

Aside from a local bus service, the site is a good 10 minute walk from rail and underground stations, so it is all the more bold for the scheme to provide just 33 parking spaces and to encourage use of a good cycle network with over 183 secure bicycle storage spaces . The 7 parking spaces within the interior court are separated from the social areas by a drop in height, planting and railings, so that cars blend into, rather than dominate the space. A secure car park for 25 additional spaces is provided underground, accessed via a ramp from the Whiston Road entrance. So the animation of building and people remains the focus here, not parked cars.

As a landlocked site, there is little possibility for integration with surrounding roads, but the perimeter block fits naturally within the surrounding street pattern and three entrances create active use onto Queensbridge and Whiston Roads .

The streets and interior court are overlooked on all sides by balconies and windows and well lit at night. Front doors to the ground floor four bedroom units are raised from stairs projecting directly onto the street, which both define the public private separation and increase on-street activity . The concierge is manned daily until 3pm and bold double height entrances to the building heighten a sense of movement, surveillance and safety.

Design and construction

The design evolved from the initial Keyworker study carried out by AHMM for First Base, to create an efficient building system that reduces trades, waste and construction time on site. The developer worked with the design team from the outset to produce a fully costed and tested bid for EPs London Wide Initiative.

Though designed to be replicable for volume affordable housing across the city, the architectural detailing of this prototype is so far original and the massing responds to the specific challenges and opportunities for scale and outlook provided by the site.

The public spaces are thoughtfully designed. Outdoor entrance spaces from both Queensbridge and Whiston Road provide cover for bicycle storage and chance conversations. The bold reds and yellows of the enamel cladding panels are offset by a sculptural rainbow of colours forming stacked mail boxes, which together created an uplifting sense of fun .

The entrances open out into a spacious courtyard garden, which includes some back gardens to lower apartments, defined by raised planters with waist high evergreens. In the public space, robust benches, which are set within lines of boxed hedges and mature ginko trees (which change colour throughout the seasons), should see some genuine use by residents. Low railings define a dedicated children’s playground and a further lowered area for car and motorbike parking in line with the Whiston Road goods entrance. All are overlooked by active windows and balconies of a generous enough size to guarantee fair weather use as outdoor living rooms. These high quality and well maintained public spaces should foster a sense of neighbourliness and community building .

The site is maintained and managed by London and Quadrant on behalf of First Base, who have taken a 250 year lease of the land from English Partnerships. This land ownership and their long term management model gives them a vested interest in the long term physical and social durability of the scheme. Residents have direct contact with concierges and access to a communal website to alert First Base to maintenance issues.

Modern methods of construction include use of prefabrication for build efficiency and quality while reducing time-intensive dry and wet trades on site. A concrete frame with flat slabs and blade columns used prefab reinforcement mats and a unitised cladding system was craned in on site to avoid the expensive use of scaffolding. Pre-fabricated bathroom pods, balconies and dry lined internal partitions were also used. After land remediation, the build was completed in 16 months. First Base estimate that as a result of using MMC, construction cost and delivery time were both reduced by 20%.

The internal spaces allow for limited adaptation, but the building contains such a variety of apartment sizes and tenures, that as a whole, it should be flexible to adapt to changing demographic needs over time. The end result is an efficiently built, attractive and durable development that meets all required building regulations standards.

Environment and community

Though there are plenty of bus stops nearby, the site is otherwise a little isolated from public transport. The nearest tube lines at Whitechapel, Liverpool Street, Old Street and Bethnal Green are a good 10 to 15 minutes away by foot. But local transport will improve with the opening, scheduled for 2010 of Shoreditch station on the extended East London Line.

The environmental impact of the scheme is reduced by its high density and its location in an inner city brownfield site, with little parking provision to encourage walking or cycling over car use. In addition, a pre-packaged central plant on the roof provides energy efficient heating and hot water to each apartment, through localised heat exchangers. All flats have 50-60% low energy lighting fittings and movement sensors trigger lighting in public circulation spaces. Aerated taps, duel flush cisterns and low flush showers are specified to reduce water consumption.

The building has a brown roof to encourage growth of local flora and accommodates over 40 bird boxes. Rainwater is also collected from the roof and stored for landscape irrigation. All timber used for the building was FSC certified. The scheme achieved a BREEAM rating of ‘Eco Excellent’.

First Base, in line with EPs London Wide Initiative, set out create a social mix at Adelaide Wharf that reflects the local and city wide need for private, affordable and key worker housing. The result is a rare mix of high quality homes with no visible differentiation between tenures. While most private units have a serene outlook over the canal , the majority of affordable homes, which are owned and managed by Family Mosaic Housing Association, as well as the 41 key worker units have arguably better views out across Haggerston park and the City skyline . A good range of apartment sizes is also provided to cater for different needs, from singles, couples and small families in one and two bed beds to larger families in three and four bed flats.

For the key worker homes, First Base have launched ‘HomeHold’, which allows key workers to buy their flat at roughly a 50% discount without paying additional rent on the remaining portion, as is usually the case with standard shared ownership. Instead, a deed of covenant guarantees that a proportion of any uplift in value is shared with First Base when the property is sold. The portion is staggered to encourage key workers to stay for longer, so if they sell after one year they get 10% of value uplift, after two years 20%, three years 40% and four or more years 60%. The remainder of value uplift goes to First Base, who along with EP, shoulder most of the risk if the market is not rising. But in return, key workers are more likely to form a more permanent vital cog in the local community, while getting their foot on the ladder.

The block also incorporates 690 sqm of office space, which is scheduled to be occupied by a community run regeneration agency to add economic stimulus to the area and daytime life to the street, as well as ongoing long term income for the managing developer.

Local community facilities include Haggerston Park and the Regent’s canal on the doorstep, and Brick Lane, Petticoat Lane, Spitalfields and Broadway Markets within in a 15 minute walk, or short cycle ride. There are 5 primary schools within the area and six secondary schools, including The Bridge Academy, a new school specialising in music and the arts, which will give priority to local residents. For healthcare, Moorfields Eye Hospital, Well Woman Clinic, Royal London Hospital Trust, Homerton University Hospital and 5 doctor surgeries are all within the vicinity.