Planning permission has been granted for 1 Jubilee Parade, a mixed-use development on a prominent site next to Woodford Underground Station in north-east London. This will be a major step forward in enhancing the approach to the station and bringing a fresh and more appealing backdrop to a busy open space at the heart of the area.
Jubilee Parade includes two floors of apartments, a retail unit on the ground floor, and car parking below. After running various local businesses, the family is keen to give something back to the local community. For them Jubilee Parade is an emotional as well as a financial investment in their local area.
This emphasis on giving something back and rejuvenating the streetscape was an important part of the brief for the project. We carefully considered every aspect of the design, taking into account the commercial and residential mix of the area, the local context and character, the effect of this very visible corner site on the surrounding streets, and the potential for the development to kickstart further beneficial changes nearby.
The design picks up on the strong vertical and horizontal rhythm created by the herringbone-brick banding, colonnades and glazing of the existing buildings on Jubilee Parade. At the point where the new building meets the old, a strong grid-like frame continues that rhythm, with the building then gradually stepping back and away from the frame. The effect is to soften the elevations as they become more irregular and more informal.
This deliberate transition also contributes to the well-thought-out design of the apartments on the first, second and third floors. The stepped frame allows for balconies of different sizes, green roof spaces, interesting layouts, views in different directions and sun at different times of day.