Client:
Downing
Location:
Vauxhall, London
Masterplan value:
£150,000,000
Completed
August 2018
We have worked with developer Downing to regenerate a formerly vacant plot of brownfield land in the heart of Vauxhall, central London. The scheme delivers an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable building that provides benefits to the local community and economy and adds a striking piece of architecture to the rapidly changing townscape of the area.
Our scheme provides 570 units of high-quality en-suite student accommodation, common facilities and landscaped terraces above a public pool and leisure facility set over 32 storeys.
The triangular shape of the building facilitates this by arranging each cluster bedroom around a communal lounge and a dual-aspect corner kitchen.
Two shared roof terraces, on the 4th and 31st floor, provide welcome outdoor space in the building’s compact urban environment, with panoramic views of London. Notable landmarks include Vauxhall Park, the cluster of tall buildings around the new American Embassy and Canary Wharf in the distance.
Wedged between a busy railway line to Waterloo and South Lambeth Road, the shape of the plot and its orientation towards the surrounding conservation areas and Vauxhall Park strongly influenced the shape and massing of the design. The student accommodation clusters are arranged around a single central core into an equilateral triangle that rises above a four storey plinth. This arrangement creates an efficient floorplan that reduces in size on the upper floors to create distinct setbacks in the building’s silhouette corresponding to views and sightlines to and from the Vauxhall Conservation Area.
The building is clad with a mix of differing height modules of glazed and unglazed ceramic tiles of light shades with warm, earthy tones. The tiles refer back to the manufacturing heritage of the north Lambeth area as the location of the Doulton stoneware and ceramics factory.
Reduced massing and lighter shades in the cladding material articulate the top of the building.
Contractor:
George Downing Construction
Structural and Civil Engineer:
Walsh Group
M&E Engineer:
Hoare Lea / HE Simms
Facade Engineer:
Wintech
Fire Engineer:
Omega Fire
Landscape Architects:
Landscape Projects
Quantity Surveyor:
Downing
Planning Consultants:
Rolfe Judd Planning
Acoustic Engineer: AEC
Heritage and Townscape Consultant:
Citydesign
Photography:
Hufton and Crow
