With the prize winning Laban dance centre kick-starting regeneration in this area, a scheme was designed to create dynamic structures to complement this initial phase. As well as providing residential units, the new facilities will offer shops, offices, bars, art studios and a cultural centre together with new public open space and landscaping, benefitting the local community and creating local employment opportunities.
A structure of reinforced concrete flat slabs and columns with shear walls for stability was adopted for the 4 No. blocks ranging from 8 to 18 storeys. A transfer structure up to 1m in depth was provided on the ground floor to optimise the parking layout below and the residential layout above. In addition to this, minor transfer structures in each block allow for a change in apartment layouts on the top floors.
There were several challenges related to the ground conditions, as the site is close to the River Thames and a high water table was encountered. In light of this, the double basement was designed with a secant pile retaining structure around the site. This form of construction enables the basement to be watertight from a very early stage of construction.
