David Chipperfield Architects and Karakusevic Carson Architects have completed two tall residential buildings in Hoxton, East London. The development lies on the fringes of the 1950’s era Colville Estate and is part of Hackney council’s estate regeneration programme. Although the 198 apartments are private in tenure, their sale is helping subsidise new affordable housing on the estate.
The hexagonal, brick-clad towers are 16 and 20 storeys respectively and contain 198 apartments. Positioned in the corners of an irregular plot, they create a landscaped space in between that acts as a gateway between the estate and Shoreditch Park. Handmade bricks of a different colour and set in a stack bond are used on each tower; a blue/grey for the western tower, and red for the eastern one. The buildings are rotated in relation to one another to maximise daylight, views, and to minimise overlooking, resulting in a dynamic composition that addresses its urban context in all directions.
Image © Simon Menges