The eighty unit residential scheme alongside the River Lea presents a unified and coherent solution for a mix of private and low cost housing. The scheme transformed the area by providing access to the River Lea that had not existed for over 150 years. The design concept derived from the desire to create a new interaction between the wide expanse of the Hackney Marshes and Clapton’s dense terraced housing.

The two affordable blocks provide thirty-two socially rented apartments for Metropolitan Housing Trust, with half of the units designed specifically for a Housing Association which provides low cost housing for local orthodox Jewish families. We worked closely with the community to understand and learn about their particular needs.

The proposed five blocks, three of which have been built so far, are organised around three gardens perpendicular to the river. The landscaped areas interact with the surrounding scenery. The orientation of the gardens define the form of the buildings. Residents and people living in the area can now enjoy open views and access to the River Lea and the Hackney marshes beyond.