Warbank Crescent
Residential New-Build
Warbank Crescent is a long strip of underused brownfield land located along the eastern edge of a green belt in New Addington, Croydon. Whilst working at Coffey Architects I led the design of several residential blocks provide a total of 36 mixed tenure homes; 19 of which are two-bed maisonettes with elevated terraces and 17 ground floor flats with courtyard gardens. The buildings sit in continuity with Croydon’s landscape whilst making a bold architectural statement within the borough’s suburban context.
Neighbourliness & Privacy
The site is unlike traditional housing stock since it is hidden from the main streetscape. With difficult boundary constraints, the challenge was to design a suitable development that keeps the visual bulk of the proposals modest while maintaining the privacy of its existing and future residents.
Identity
A courtyard massing typology was developed with stacking maisonettes to resolve issues of overlooking and private amenity space. Alternating single and three storey forms break up the mass of each block and offer views across the site and to the mature woodland beyond.
To create welcoming homes situated within a long oblique site, a modulation of material and colour to all facades was developed in consultation with Croydon Council. Taking inspiration from traditional colour compositions and aesthetics from popular film culture, the facades are clad in changing sequence of materials on lower and upper levels, in a unique palette of coloured aluminium and zinc cladding with built-in concrete planters. A subtle variation in material and colour provides a sense of individuality to each home whilst creating a strong connection to the public realm.
Sustainable Design
Warbank Crescent achieves a 35% reduction in regulated carbon dioxide emissions. Built in a timber frame construction, its embodied carbon is considerably lower than equivalent masonry, concrete or steel construction. A set of light-weight, pre-fabricated wall and cladding panels are designed for expedient installation on site, thus shortening the construction programme and operational carbon during this phase.
Once complete in 2021, each home will be partly powered by solar energy with an integrated MVHR system to limit the effect of solar gains in the summer. This new development will also provide a net gain in biodiversity through an extensive woodland planting strategy. Low level planters are also incorporated in sustainable drainage systems.
Project Information
Client : Brick by Brick
Location : Croydon, London
Completion : 2021
Value : £12 million
No. of Homes : 36
G.I.A. : 2,657 sqm
Contractor : Buxtons Building Contractors
Structural Engineer : WFBA, Kingspan
MEP Consultant : Blu Electrical
Facade Subcontractor : Bridgehill
Landscape Architect : Landscape Projects
Fire : Zeta