THE WHITE HART
Hornby Court & Davis Court
REVITALISING A CORNER SITE IN WILLESDEN
Mixed-use development comprising 410m2 of commercial floor space
& 76 new-build residential apartments & maisonettes
Formally occupied by a 2 storey public house with substantial hard standing, this building had been demolished prior to our involvement.
The prominence of location advocated a bold scale, focusing an increase in height at the junction, but maintaining 4-5 storey massing across the main elevations.
Dark splits within off white render break up the mass and emphasise verticality.
The original design featured extensive articulation generated through substantial recesses in the facades, limiting internal floor space and significantly increasing the external surface area. Through the varied use of materials, elongated window cills & lintels, and elements of curtain wall the revised design simplified construction, increased internal floor space and reduced the external wall surface area whilst retaining the same dynamic articulation.
The original permission included an underground car park. By raising the building and introducing a 1st floor level podium, the development retained the same level of car parking and external communal amenity space, but omitted extensive excavation and the implicit cost this would have entailed.
Client:
Paradigm Housing Group
Borough:
London Borough of Brent
Units & density:
76no. residential homes, 723 hrh
& 410m2 commercial/retail space
Tenure:
Mix of social rental; intermediate; & market sale
Status:
RIBA Stages 2-5