Fulham Island

A special relationship between a brave and informed developer and an exceptional master planner has produced an outstanding development. This partnership enabled the complex design and build contract to be a success. The resulting development is both uplifting and fitting. Fulham Island forms a sensitive part of the neighbourhood fabric, whilst bringing exciting new ingredients to enhance the local area.

A mixture of elevational treatments have been used which have a feeling of inevitability whilst being highly unusual, especially in this type of location. The blue and green finishes of the new office block and the refurbished residential block have been juxtaposed with the existing brick of the Victorian shops. This brings life to the rather dull streets, as do the multicoloured insets in the brick cladding of the new residential building.

Excitement is added to the urban scene through the use of oval windows, the spiralling roof, the entrance atrium of the office block, and the curved balconies of the residential one. The central garden is both exotic and functional. The paving onto which the offices and dwellings lead, is interspersed with oval areas of planting. These have been designed to mature to a significant scale.

With concrete construction for new build, and complex detailing and finishes, there were some problems with workmanship. However, the resulting development adds greatly to the viability of the location, and high profile businesses are moving in.

This project illustrates the value of innovative solutions. It proves that creative and practical design, which doesn’t follow normal guidelines, can provide immense benefit.