David Chipperfield Architects Ltd

Hoxton Press Buildings

Hoxton Press Buildings
© Simon Menges

HOXTON PRESS BUILDINGS

David Chipperfield Architects, Karakusevic Carson Architects

LIGHTING CONSULTANT
PJC Light Studio

PLANNING CONSULTANT
Tibbalds Planning and Urban Design

MASTERPLANNING ARCHITECT
Karakusevic Carson Architects

MANUFACTURERS
Vande Moortel, Atlantic Contracts, Commodore, DIVA, Elite, GCL, KWB, Swift

CONSTRUCTION PARTNER
Wates Construction

COST CONSULTANTS
TowerEight and Arcadis

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
VOGT

COMMISSIONING CLIENT
Hackney Council

WATERPROOFING CONSULTANT
Phil Hewitt Associates

STRUCTURAL, CIVILS, BUILDING SERVICES, SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER, ACOUSTICIAN
AECOM

FAÇADE ENGINEER
Thornton Tomasetti

FIRE CONSULTANT
Fire Risk Solutions

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER
Anthology

YEAR
2018

LOCATION
United Kingdom

CATEGORY
Apartments

Text description provided by architect.

Karakusevic Carson Architects and David Chipperfield Architects have completed two tall residential buildings in Hoxton, East London.

Hoxton Press Buildings
© Peter Landers
Hoxton Press Buildings
© Simon Menges
Hoxton Press Buildings
© Simon Menges

Commissioned by the London Borough of Hackney, the project is the result of a progressive approach to estate renewal and housing delivery for one of the borough’s major estate programmes. The project forms the third phase of the wider Colville Estate masterplan, which was designed by Karakusevic Carson in 2010.

A new design approach was deemed appropriate for the prominent site facing Shoreditch Park, which was earmarked by Hackney Council for competition. Karakusevic Carson invited David Chipperfield Architects to collaborate on a new concept design and the two practices won the competition in 2012, drawing on their respective expertise.

The collaboration continued through to completion and the result is a testament to both Karakusevic Carson’s extensive experience in high quality housing design and David Chipperfield Architects’ rigorous and explorative approach to architecture.

Hoxton Press Buildings
© Ioana Marinescu
Hoxton Press Buildings
© Simon Menges
Hoxton Press Buildings
© Peter Landers

The design team worked closely with residents on the estate to establish the concept for the two buildings through workshops and community events. Hackney Council found a joint venture partner in Anthology to realise the project after detailed planning was achieved in 2014. The sale of the apartments will cross-subsidise the construction of new council homes across the rest of the estate.

The two, hexagonal, brick-faced buildings are 16 and 20 storeys respectively and contain 198 apartments. Carefully positioned on an irregular plot, they create a landscaped space in between that acts as a gateway between the wider estate and the park. Handmade bricks of a different colour and set in a stack bond are used on each tower.

Hoxton Press Buildings
© Peter Landers
Hoxton Press Buildings
© Ioana Marinescu

A single brick type is used throughout; fired once to create the red on the eastern tower and fired twice for the blue/grey on the western one. The buildings are rotated in relation to one another to maximise daylight, views, and to minimise overlooking and loss of light to neighbouring new buildings.

The result is a dynamic composition that addresses its urban context in all directions. The external expression of the buildings’ structure reflects the internal planning of the apartments within.

Hoxton Press Buildings
© Simon Menges
Hoxton Press Buildings
© Simon Menges

Residential floor plans have a clear concentric arrangement with habitable rooms located at the perimeter, benefitting from increased daylight and ventilation. Bedrooms and living rooms are grouped on alternate facades and a typical floor accommodates six 1 and 2-bedroom apartments, each with dual aspect views made possible apartments feature generous roof terraces.

At street level, large, outward-facing brick vaults create a permeable space open to the life of the neighbourhood. These vaults contain the lobby, café space and access to the underground car parking. Transparency and connectivity across the entire ground floor is achieved through full height glazing on all sides of each building.

Hoxton Press Buildings
Ground floor plan
Hoxton Press Buildings
Typical floor plan

David Chipperfield Architects The landscape design includes a continuous surface of granite cobbles, extending seamlessly from outside in, connecting the two buildings Shoreditch Park to the new Colville neighbourhood.

Paul Karakusevic, partner at Karakusevic Carson said: “The project highlights the power of a visionary local council who understand the value that good design can bring in terms of cross-subsidy to build and refurbish council homes and create wider social value. Working with residents through every element of the design has allowed us to create a unique piece of architecture rooted in its locality.”

Hoxton Press Buildings
Typical floor plan detailed
Hoxton Press Buildings
Penthouse floor plan

David Chipperfield, founder and design principal at DCA said: “The project is the result of a truly collaborative process involving the council, local community, developer and architects.

It demonstrates how local authorities can positively channel investment to ensure that housing provision is considered within the wider ideas of community and urbanity.

“Through their solidity and robustness, the buildings challenge contemporary preconceptions about high-rise residential developments. The permeable ground floors, which open up to the public realm, also address the limitations of public interaction that we often find in high-rise buildings.”


Hoxton Press Buildings
Detail
Hoxton Press Buildings
Detail


Hoxton Press Buildings
Masterplan
Hoxton Press Buildings
Axonometric


Hoxton Press Buildings
Section
Hoxton Press Buildings
East Elevation

David Chipperfield Architects Ltd
T +44 20 76204800
David Chipperfield Architects Ltd
9 Dallington St, London EC1V 0LN, United Kingdom