engineering.
Oops! Looks like your browser is out of date. Is this page displaying correctly? If not, try upgrading your browser or use a different one.

Adelaide Wharf.

With its bright architectural palette and generous hung balconies, this mixed tenure residential scheme draws attention to its differences whilst complementing the surrounding industrial landscape in Hackney. As part of the London Wide Initiative, the development aimed to substantially increase affordable homes through regeneration of an abandoned site.

A colourful apartment block with an industrial form in a canal-side location

Location
London, UK
Client
First Base
Architect
AHMM
Project Value
£22 million
Status
completed 2008
Expertise
Structures

Working alongside architect AHMM we developed this innovative scheme comprising 74 private market flats, 41 for key workers and 33 social rented. In the initial stages, the team spent a year carrying out a study of accommodation for key workers in London, considering structural options which kept a simple, standard grid but taking into account a range of internal layouts. Adaptability, costs and a variety of cladding systems were all compared, and Adelaide Wharf was the first project to be delivered as a result of this.

Surprisingly, initial geotechnical investigations indicated minimal contamination in the surface soils and underlying river terrace gravels below this industrial brownfield site. This allowed us to design VCC piles, chosen to minimise the spoil, though an old canal inlet was later uncovered which required some local adaptations.

The contractors were incorporated into the design team in a unique management structure which allowed us to analyse the benefits of each type of construction while forming the concepts. Working alongside Lendlease, we provided a U-shaped concrete framed block with two vertical cores to maximise lateral stability.

A short programme called for rapid construction techniques; we adopted in-house BAMTEC designing and scheduling, using bespoke analysis software to speed up the process of floor slab construction. Our close relationship with the contractors also provided links with the supply chain, which we could use to directly inform construction. We developed a system which enabled the hung steel balconies to be supported on the cladding panels, avoiding thermal break details in the structural design.

Awards.

2009 Civic Trust Award

2009 Building Award – Housing Project of the Year

2008 RIBA Award

2008 RIBA National Award

2008 Housing Design Award

2008 Building for Life Award

2008 World Architecture Festival – Highly Commended

2008 Hackney Design Award

Two
Manhattan
West
Lobby
'Radiant Lines'
installation
 
 
A Brick for Venice thumbnailA Brick
for Venice.
 
 
One
Gosvenor
Square
 
Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities thumbnailThe Stephen A. Schwarzman
Centre for the Humanities
 
 
Albert Bridge House thumbnailAlbert Bridge House.
 
 
 
Edgar's Sheds thumbnailEdgar's
Sheds.
 
 
Luton     Town FC
Stadium.
 
 
St Pancras Campus thumbnailSt Pancras
Campus.
 
 
Wind Sculpture
(TG) I
 
 
Sentosa
Sensoryscape.
 
 
The
Beacon.
 
 
Liverpool
School of
Architecture.
 
Malaika
School.
 
 
Cherry
Groce
Memorial.
 
Khudi
Bari.
 
 
Haus Gables thumbnailHaus
Gables.
 
 
10   Lewis
Cubitt
Square.
 
'Drift'
footbridge.
 
 
3290_HighRes_render_N9_hdThe
Gaumont.
 
 
5448_N8_hdCrinkle-Crankle
Concrete.
 
 
4926_HiRes_rendering_N7_hdApex
1.
 
 
5008_highRes_image_N3_hdUCB
Headquarters
Campus.
 
Manor    Road
Quarter.
 
 
17 Charterhouse
Street.
 
 
Brent Cross
Plot 15.
 
 
100-West-Cromwell-Road-thumbnail100
West Cromwell
Road.
 
Brent Cross
Plot 25.
 
 
Chapter
London
Bridge.
 
Roatan
Prospera.