orchard gardens

Location: Elephant Park, London
Client: Lend Lease
Status: Completed 2019
Budget: £80 million
RIBA Stirling Prize 2022 Shortlist!
RIBA National Award 2022 Winner

A pivotal city block in a transformational area
Orchard Gardens is located at the southern tip of the vast regeneration of the Heygate Estate in Elephant and Castle, defining the edge of a new public square and fronting onto the Old Town Hall opposite. The scheme comprises 228 homes and 20,000 sqft retail, forming a cluster of buildings wrapped around a central communal courtyard ranging in height from 4-19 storeys.

Achieving maximum value from the land
Working closely with the Local Planning Authority throughout the design process we challenged the outline consented planning parameters, adjusting heights where appropriate and securing the full support of the Borough with unanimous consent for the scheme.

Characterful buildings embedded in their context
A strong corner element onto Walworth Road marks the beginning of a terrace fronting onto the square that is expressed as a series of adjacent townhouse-scale buildings. This organic arrangement provides a coherent urban edge, whilst also retaining the vibrancy and variety of a London street amidst the rich historic context. The height of the buildings respond to their varied context from 3-storey listed buildings up towards a 30-storey tower in the densest heart of the wider masterplan, with the scale of the individual component elements tailored to suit their orientation and townscape setting.

Facades are articulated to humanise their scale
With the key massing gestures responsive to their diverse immediate neighbours, the subtle form of each element is driven by wider context that become more apparent with height. As such, the facades re-orientate themselves as views open up, with bespoke fenestration patterns and balcony openings framing distant London landmarks.

Visuals
Cityscape Digital

Brickwork
Lee Marley

Professional Photography
Enrique Verdugo
Timothy Soar

Publications
2014
AJ Online - AHMM and Panter Hudspith win planning for new Heygate homes
 
Awards
2022 RIBA National Award - Winner
2022 RIBA Regional Award - Winner
2022 RIBA Stirling Prize - Shortlist
 
Shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2022
illustrative site plan
model - modest scale towards listed building creates great sunlight in courtyard
cluster of buildings vary notably in scale, responding to diverse context and humanising the public realm
a food market activates the colonnade towards the listed town hall
a colonnade wraps the east, south and west facades
stepped massing humanises scale down towards new public square
elevation facing Walworth Town Hall is expressed as a series of townhouses
tall residential-led developments can have discernible character and humanised facades
a pattern of varied brickwork makes the tower appear as a collage, giving a human scale
facades crank to respond to immediate context and views - site photo
the massing was modelled to ensure the courtyard was sunny and had views beyond
the diverse scale of the cluster of buildings is determined by the radically varied context
subtle variations in the brick tone and facade alignment enhance the humanised massing
80% of homes are dual or triple aspect with recessed amenity spaces and wonderful outlook
massing of buildings is determined by the masterplan, townscape, daylighting concerns etc.
the existing buildings on the site were inhumane, devoid of character and neglected
varied tones of brickwork and recessed balconies clad in contrasting metal define the blocks