SPACEHUB – March 2023 Newsletter

March… what a month. Despite our vitamin D deficiencies, we still managed to achieve some lofty goals in the studio over the last few weeks. Here are a few highlights that we are particularly excited about.

Planning News

85 Gracechurch Street planning permission

We are delighted to announce 85 Gracechurch Street has been approved via committee on 21st of March. The ambitious project will add a new green heart within the City of London, achieving an urban greening factor score of 0.92. The Site is located next to the historic Leadenhall Market and will provide a new public hall at ground level which joins onto the existing market. The proposals on level 05 include a woodland terrace garden, heritage walkway and an exciting new cultural viewing gallery which will be delivered in partnership with the Museum of London.

Well done to the client Hertshten Properties Limited (part of Hertshten Group) and congratulations to the project team including Shaw Corporation, Woods Bagot, The Townscape Consultancy, DP9 and the many others who have worked on this scheme.

Alban Gate submitted for planning

Alban Gate planning application has been submitted to and validated by the City of London. Gensler Architects on behalf of Arax Properties are proposing a refurbishment of Sir Terry Farrell’s two distinct towers at 125 London Wall and a 4-storey block at 130 London Wall. The Site sits south of the Barbican Conservation area and is attached via bridge to Spacehub’s London Wall Place.

Spacehub has proposed urban greening and planting interventions. The planting palette is envisioned to feel like it was always meant to be there. Hints of London Wall Place and the Barbican Estate planting themes will be on show; a lush vertical landscape will start from ground, changing typologies during the ascent to the roof tops where biodiverse maritime planting will adorn all meaningful sized ledges and roofs.

Multi-level layering of landscape plant typologies provides moments of natural appreciation when looking up from the street, adjacent residents or from within Alban Gate offices.

The proposals use the environmental constraints as a benefit, with the movement of wind through foliage forming a desirable benefit. With west-southwest winds prevailing across the scheme a ‘ripple’ of movement across the pedway, balconies, terraces and roof tops will form a dynamic soft intervention. A strategy of colour gradation up the facades is proposed. Dark/purple leaved plants at the base and gold/yellow leaved plants at the mid and upper levels provides a strong, year-round framework, with periods of flower colour providing a dynamic element to the palette.

One Chapel Place stage 2 submission

We are thrilled to have submitted the Stage 2 planning documents for One Chapel Place, a new office building and public realm scheme just off Oxford Street, London. The public realm enhancements include green respite space directly adjacent to the Grade 1 listed St Peter’s Church, a publicly accessible rooftop garden as well as an improved alleyway scheme with commercial activation and spill-out.

The centrepiece of the Site is the listed St. Peter’s Church. Lush, verdant planting in the adjacent courtyard provides a soft and subtle backdrop to the building’s commanding presence and invites pedestrians to stop and appreciate its beauty. The scheme also removes existing street clutter and creates a much needed green and accessible landscape respite moment near Oxford Street. The fully accessible public roof will allow residents and visitors further respite and sweeping views of London and Regents Park.

The paving design is an allusion to the tiling on the inside of the church, effectively creating an exterior extension of the historic flooring, again highlighting the church’s prominence.

Thanks to DmFK and CC Land for the collaborative efforts.

Folkestone Plot D1 receives planning permission

We are pleased to announce Plot D1 within the Folkestone Seafront Masterplan has received planning permission. Developed in close collaboration with Architects A IS FOR ___, the landscape proposals include an upgraded streetscape to Marine Parade; a publicly accessible Shingle Garden, private front gardens for ground level homes and core entrances; a shared podium garden for residents of Plot D1 with individual and private podium terraces; and a biodiverse green roofscape.

The landscape strategy has taken direct influence from the natural processes which have formed this unique Masterplan site. Natural accumulation of shingle and the slow colonisation by vegetation has been reflected in the gradual build-up of landscape design layers – the shingle dune landforms, the maritime planting, the gardens and the connections between spaces all are a reflection of natural processes and form a dynamic and resilient public and private realm.

Congratulations to client Folkestone Harbour & Seafront Development Company and the team of consultants A IS FOR ___, Eckersley O’Callaghan, Atelier Ten, Spider Projects, Savills planning, Pell Frischman, David Bonnet Associates and Cudd Bentley Consulting Ltd.

Construction Updates

Brighton construction update

Construction in Brighton is nearly complete. Together with BuckleyGrayYeoman, we’ve been working on the redevelopment of Amex House – the ex-headquarters of American Express. In its place we have designed a brand-new series of high-quality public realm spaces, a new pedestrian north-south route, residential gardens, amenity terraces and biodiverse roofs in and around this mixed-use development. We have always sought to reflect Brighton’s playful nature within the landscape and reflected this in our approach to the Games Garden and Play Garden. The Games Garden is a terraced garden with space for ping pong tables, pool tables and boule games, plus potential for an outdoor cinema screen.

Folkestone Plot B1 construction update

Site work continues on the first phase of works of the Folkestone Seafront Masterplan. We can’t wait to see Shoreline (Plot B1) full of life in 2023! Stay tuned for more updates.

Spacehub Sketchbook

At Spacehub we are always testing concepts through various mediums of sketching and collage, here’s a few from the last month

UGF showcase of 85 Gracechurch Street, City of London

Threshold studies 

Multi-levelled landscape component exploration

Activation experimentation

New Projects!

Spacehub have been appointed on Ladbroke Grove, a large mixed-use masterplan in North Kensington – Fantastic to be working on this strategic site in London Borough of Kensington + Chelsea

Continuing our work in Hackney Wick, we are excited to have joined the team of 115-119 Wallis Road. This is fronting the River Lea and sits adjacent to our other projects on Wallis Road, Berkshire Road, Monier Road and Queens Yard.

We are starting our next stage of works to deliver Kennington Park Phase 1.

We also have exciting projects on the horizon in Stratford and Roehampton. Watch this space to hear about these and other new projects mentioned above.