The new residential development for Gateway Housing Association in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets provides 32 high-grade homes across the site located near Medway Conservation Area in Bow. Highly respectful of the history and character of the local area, the FBM Architects’ carefully thought out design complements the urban and historic setting, yet, is modern and responds to the contemporary standards of living.

The new scheme, its height defined by the strong parapet line, offers a continuous three-storey frontage along Norman Grove and Saxon Road, relating to the character of the Medway Conservation Area and the locally listed Saxon Lea Court. A generous space between the two buildings on the eastern part of the development ensures a soft transition in height from three to four storeys, acting as an arrival point that provides a visual connection between the lane and the courtyard.

The building line is set back from the street, re-establishing a typical scale for the Victorian streets in the immediate neighbourhood, while successfully solving the issue of overlooking between the existing and proposed houses on Norman Grove. Ordered fenestration patterns with tall, generous window proportions further underpin the scheme’s connection with Victorian architectural legacy.