This project transformed a declining peripheral industrial site in Croydon into a vibrant mixed-use community comprising a workspace hub for 78 start-up artist studios and 97 homes of mixed tenure. RSS was instrumental in developing the brief with the client from inception.
The buildings work together to create a new piece of urban townscape, completing the residential frontage on Grafton Road with a new terrace, terminating a vista along the street, and framing a new central shared amenity space and play area at the heart of the scheme.
The scale of the development responds both to the existing two storey terraced housing and also to the much larger and taller industrial buildings next to and behind the site. Higher level apartments are afforded views toward Wandle Park but the scheme deliberately avoids overlooking where this might prevent further development.
The 8,100m2 site provides a density of 407hrha residential development and 3,000m2 of workspace. Careful modelling of the massing and landscaping ensures that there are multiple views in and out of the site at ground level, maximising passive surveillance and permeability and establishing a sense of place.
The BREEAM ‘Excellent’ design was commended for being exciting and innovative when it was approved unanimously by the Croydon planning committee. It has acted as a catalyst for the creation of new mixed-use schemes within the Purley Way hinterland.
