Vittoria Wharf
Fish Island, London£11mMixed-use, ResidentialLocated in a former timber yard on Fish Island, East London, the canal-side scheme is made up of residential and affordable housing, artist’s studio spaces and a café, all constructed around an existing gatehouse and central working yard. The proposal sought to address the problem of creative flight from the island by providing a high proportion of studio space, and enabling use of the internal yard as an additional working area.
The design reflects the historic industrial buildings that punctuate the streetscape of Hackney Wick and Fish Island, by evoking their material and proportional characteristics in a contemporary warehouse form. Roof lights crown the building, generating the image of an industrial quarter while bringing south light to the residential spaces and north light to the studios.
Openings are a full brick thick with soldier course lintels to add texture. The studio interiors employ generous floor-to-ceiling heights and robust raw materials; brick, timber and concrete.
The south east corner of the building will anchor and announce a proposed bridge to link Fish Island to Queen Elizabeth Park.
Planning Award 2019 : Excellence in Placemaking at High Densities