Novello House

Client: Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association

Location: Bridport Place, N1

Duration:  2016 – 2022

Density:  32 Homes

FBM Architects were appointed by Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing to design a scheme for their development site on the boundary between the London boroughs of Islington and Hackney. At the corner of Bridport Place and Wiltshire Row, and adjacent to the Regent’s Canal and Rosemary Branch Bridge, our proposals provide 32 high-quality new homes (50% affordable) with 10% wheelchair accessible apartments in a range of sizes. Planning approval was received in 2016

FBM’s design urban strategy reinforces and defines the street frontage, extending the adjacent building lines to form a corner with an active frontage. Given the small plot footprint (427m2), we maximised the number of homes on the site by increasing the building height to 11 stories, rising to celebrate the corner and falling away to the south, which also responds the height of Novello House.

This increased building height allowed us to create homes that capitalised on the wonderful views of the canal and the city. We carefully designed the tower to respond to the characteristics of the existing and emerging townscape. The elevation is carved away to the north to respond to the new axis created within the Colville Estate Masterplan, and each apartment benefits from a generously sized balcony. A framing element at the top of the building defines the distinct architectural profile.

Novello House will be clad in brick with the texture and colour selected to reflect the surrounding contextual buildings in a contemporary way. Balconies have been arranged in a way that breaks the rhythm established by the windows and capitalises on the long vista views provided by the fantastic canal side location. With local amenities and good public transport connections close by, the scheme is designed as car-free bar three disabled parking bays located nearby, in order to encourage residents to use environmentally friendly modes of transport

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