Pocket Living Housing Scheme Wins Another Design Award

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For its 'pioneering modular construction and striking design'

An affordable housing scheme aimed at first time buyers in Wandsworth has won its third design award.

Earlier this year Pocket Living’s housing scheme in Mapleton Crescent was honoured in the RIBA London awards 2019 for its attractive design, high standard of accommodation and pioneering construction method. Its design also recently won a New London Architecture Award.

Now it has been named “Best Design” in this year’s National Housing Awards.

The development, on the banks of the River Wandle, employed the latest modular construction techniques, which sees completed residential units being fully assembled at a factory in Bedford before being transported to site and installed with cranes.

The use of modular construction on the site shaved around six months off the tower’s total build time.

The 27-storey development has delivered 53 homes for local first-time buyers at a discount of at least 20 per cent and 36 two-and-three-bedroom open market Pocket Edition homes. The attractive green ceramic facade gives the tower its finishing touch.

The homes also feature large bike stores with lockers and changing areas, a residents’ lounge and a 23rd floor roof terrace available to all residents.

Pocket Homes provided an attractive discounted sales option with prices starting at £225,000. Over 90 per cent of sales went to Wandsworth residents and workers on incomes as low as £25,000.

According to the NHA judges it is: “An exemplary project, which has already been rightfully covered in the national press. The very urban scheme creates 89 new homes on what was previously thought of an undevelopable site on a triangular parcel of land behind a shopping centre. The new 27 storey tower is beautifully realised, clad in bespoke blue-green ceramic. The tower was also ingeniously constructed using modular construction techniques, which meant it went up at a rate of a storey a day. Many congratulations to Pocket Living and their architects Metropolitan Workshop."

The RIBA judges said the project “set a high benchmark standard for affordable accommodation”.

They added: “It was clear that the client and local council had worked closely together to deliver much needed residential accommodation addressing aspects of the wider housing needs in the borough. This project has set a high benchmark standard for affordable accommodation.

“Pocket Living's product delivers affordable micro-units alongside a smaller proportion of market flats. The quality and level of finishes achieved within the common areas and the flats was a delight to see. The rooftop also provides a generous landscaped communal terrace affording long distance views around London - one can imagine it will be well used and enjoyed by residents in pleasant weather.”

The council’s cabinet member for housing Kim Caddy said: “This is a really exciting and innovative scheme that’s delivered high quality affordable homes for first time buyers in Wandsworth.

“As a nation, it’s important we look at new ways of building good quality accommodation for people in housing need. The speedy method of modular construction at this site is used much more widely in Europe and is an intelligent and cost-effective solution in a city like London which needs more new housing and fast.”

 

September 10, 2019