A city fragment composed of three complementary residential blocks, with a four-storey perimeter volume enclosing a mews enclave of three-storey family houses, and a taller linear block facing onto the river.

Vastint
Bow, London
c£20 million
153 homes


  • New East London neighbourhood
  • Brownfield site flanked by tributaries of the River Lea
  • Design responding to uncommon challenges of proximity, outlook, orientation and privacy
  • Palette and design aesthetic draw from site’s post-industrial character
  • Distinctive block identities which also read collectively

Client: Vastint
Structural Engineer: Engineers HRW
Services Engineer: Mott MacDonald
Sustainability Consultant: Mott Mac Donald
Executive Architect: Bryden Wood

Related research

Homes

Related work

MU5
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Public Consultation When Sugar House Island was known as Strand East.
Plaster Cast Rustication Motifs Taken from modern light industrial sheet metal and as-found facades that existed on sites nearby
Apartment Model Study the 1:20 model exploring a raised kitchen with view from sink over street and preparation area with view back across living spaces. The stepped front doors are made possible by providing level access from internal core.
Block B Communal Entrance Diagram
Block A Communal Entrance Diagram
Front Doors The team pursued a strategy to provide regular inclusion of front doors on streets improving passive surveillance of the street but also brings a strong identity to ground floor units and a 'stoop' or porch to take ownership of and animate.
Entrance Hall to the mews house.
Street, Living Space and Garden Section sketch showing spatial arrangement of typical 'through' living space spanning front to back of the block.
Masonry Material Palette Testing earth-toned aggregates and pigments across precast, terrazzo and brick elements.
Elevation Studies Testing of the inner mews courtyard elevation, with higher perimeter block behind.
Internal Spaces Sketch of typical front to back living space within a two-bed apartment.
Ground Floor Studies Isometric sketch study of typical ground floor living space, with open dining and kitchen area.
Workshop Preparation Preparation for a design workshop with Vastint UK.
Entrance studies Testing front door entrance facade articulation and window placement.
Gatehouses Two three storey 'gatehouses' mark the entrance to the mews behind.
Mew Courtyard A single tree and circular seat frame the small courtyard surrounded by neighbouring mews houses.
Block A Bay Study
Testing the Facade Plaster cast facade tests for standard mews house.
Mews Aerial View 1:50 model of mews portion of the scheme.
Options testing With models
Masterplan Overview Design of plots R2 and R1 developed concurrently and in collaboration with Mae and Studio Meda. This process was brought to life through regular review and iterative tiling of our development models together.
Roof Forms Isometric view of mews and castellated roof form.
Loggia Study

R3