Rotherhithe Housing

Commenced
Completed

2023

TEAM

Architect : A-Zero Architects

Giles Bruce, Ross King, Shoichi Sado, Phillip Toyin

Planning Consultant : Quod

Concept & Planning : A-Zero Architects

Detailed Design & Construction : Designer London Developments

Rotherhithe, London, UK

This residential development by the Thames River in Rotherhithe, has been completed, and is currently being marketed through The Modern House.

Originally part of the Thames' sprawling docklands, the area was substantially developed in the 1980s, but still retains some of the character of its maritime heritage, with remnants of the dock infrastructure scattered around the area.

This was a challenging site but one that was full of potential, with park facing views and a prominent location along Rotherhithe street. The design elevates six duplex above a ground level commercial unit. The duplex units are organised so that every unit enjoys dual aspect to the adjacent park on one side, and obliquely to the street.

The building is constructed of pre-fabricated timber cassettes clad in a combination of brick, steel and living green walls.

Prefabricated Timber Frame Construction

The super-structure of this building in timber frame, pre-fabricated offsite, and assembled over the course of a month. The building massing is relatively complex, but this approach offered significant benefits over a concrete or steel frame approach in terms of on-site construction and embodied carbon.

Flood Resiliance

This project is built in an area of high flood risk along the Thames, meaning that under current climate change predictions, it is likely that there is a risk of inundation post 2065 if the Thames Barrier flood defences are not raised and the managed River Thames water levels are raised above the level of the existing defences.

Resilience to this future reality is through the building section, with all living accommodation raised up above podium level above the predicted flood datum.

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When the client approach us in 2022, this property was derelict and had not been occupied in 10 years - there was evidence of arson and squatting. When we first visited it was Halloween and the house had been decorated by the community as the local haunted house – which was quite apt given its dilapidated condition.

The client’s brief was for the house to be brought back into use with the lowest carbon approach possible. Design decisions were a balance was between operational performance, embodied carbon, and the aim to preserve the architectural character of the original building – it had previously been a tenement, and the very quirky split staircase to was the only remaining feature of note.

The project has completely reinvented the building as a low carbon exemplar. Unfortunately, the area now lacks a haunted house for next Halloween.

Rotherhithe, London, UK