Maurer Court

Character

Maurer Court is made up of three blocks of distinct architectural character which add to the variety of the whole GMV development. The vaulted and varied rooflines with colourful external balconies create a bold visual approach to the site from the north west and along the Thames footpath. Public street frontages are articulated by a mix of structural steel beams, balconies, bonded brickwork, white render and timber cladding. The external steel struts that support balconies on the corner of Teal Street and Renaissance Walk are particularly striking. The combination of strong colours and interesting forms offers a sense of optimism for those walking around the development.

The pleasant 2800sq m. gated courtyard combines planting and communal seating areas with semi-private rear gardens, colourful balconies and a mix of brick, timber and cladding materials. As the courtyard is gated and elevated over the car park, pedestrians can only glimpse into this pleasant space from the street.

The streets around Maurer Court are well lit and generally well overlooked. There is a sense that a high enough density of people will make the area feel safe for pedestrians to walk around. A pleasant, tree-lined Riverside Walk has been created which makes the most of expansive views across the Thames.

There are river views from over 130 of the 177 apartments in the main block of Maurer Court. Many of these apartments are dual aspect with views into the courtyard as well. The remainder of flats in Maurer Court and the units in the smaller blocks have views back into the courtyard or back into the development across Teal Street or Renaissance Walk. Those with apartments facing westwards across John Harrison Way look partially out to the Thames but mainly onto land earmarked for a later development phase of GMV. These views may later become blocked as a result.

Roads, parking and pedestrianisation

The only vehicular road around Maurer Court is John Harrison Way, which is pleasantly lined with trees and has well integrated parallel parking spaces. The road ends in a turning head as it reaches the Thames, leaving the riverside walk exclusively for pedestrians.

Cars pass from John Harrison Way to the underground car park. This is directly beneath Maurer Court and has been dug out to two storeys deep. Two hundred and ninety two parking spaces are provided here and along John Harrison Way for the 199 Maurer Court units and for 100 units of the two blocks that form the neighbouring development phase.

A change in colour and of road materials reinforces the pedestrian presence along John Harrison Way, Teal Street and Renaissance Walk. The routes are well overlooked and feel safe as a result. Pedestrian routes from North Greenwich connect via John Harrison Way to the new Riverside Walk and to boardwalks through the ecology park.

Renaissance Walk could have been linked to the ecology park by a footbridge to make the site more permeable for pedestrians, but this was considered a security risk for residents. As a result, Renaissance Walk leads to a dead-end, albeit looking onto the lake, and is likely only to be used as an access route to apartments for residents.

Cycle storage is provided in secure internal bike stations and cycle lock-up points. Cyclists share a wide footway with pedestrians along the main link road from North Greenwich Station.

Design and construction

The custom-designed buildings are constructed from an in-situ reinforced concrete frame with 'metal stick' infill panels clad externally with render and timber, with banded brickwork and stack-bonded blockwork at the lower levels. Masterplanner Ralphe Ersine opted for this use of decorative brickwork in order to be flexible for maintenance issues and to provide jobs for local crafts. The barrel vaulted roofs are standing seem aluminium with flat roof areas providing terraces to some apartments.

Stud partition walls separate rooms within flats and are not load bearing, so residents will be able to remodel internal layouts in future.

Integrated research included in the design process helps maximise solar gain (which saves on heating costs), natural light and ventilation. Daylight level calculations ensure all apartments have natural light between May and August, and light coloured external and internal walls reflect light into north-facing rooms and the courtyard. Many of the apartments are dual aspect, thus maximising internal light and a sense of space. The central courtyard is not accessible to the public, but high quality public spaces are provided along the River Walk and ecology park.

Environment and community

GMV as a whole uses materials requiring low levels of energy in production and minimum wastage during construction. Maurer Court was no exception. Off-site manufacture and component assembly was adopted for bathroom units which were delivered as complete rooms to the main block of 177 flats. Cladding and roof panels were factory made and the CHP plant was delivered in component parts. Structural steel framing was used which is easier to transport than block, produces little waste during construction and is recyclable.

North Greenwich’s new Jubilee Line Underground is a 10 minute walk from GMV. However, until the remaining Greenwich Millennium Peninsular residential, retail and commercial developments are complete, this route will continue to feel isolated and a relatively unattractive option for pedestrians. Wide cycle lanes also run from North Greenwich Station to GMV. The GMV site has excellent access to public transport, with six bus routes running through the centre of the development.

The block of 17 flats includes space for a community centre. The residents are as yet undecided as to how they want to use this. English Partnerships have funded a new school, medical centre and community website to help bind the GMV community.

There is a good choice of private accommodation size, from one to three-bed apartments. Seven affordable units are also provided within Maurer Court. Across the whole GMV development, 266 affordable units will comprise 20% of the total number of new homes.