Mixed-use housing, Wandsworth, London
Partial demolition, refurbishment, extension and densification of an existing 1930s building, originally a paint factory sited alongside the river Wandle.
The project involved the partial demolition, refurbishment, extension and densification of an existing building, known as Wandsworth Workshops located close to Wandsworth Town Centre in South West London. The building had originally been a paint factory sited alongside the fast flowing River Wandle and more recently, had provided light industrial business units for modest-sized local businesses ranging from printers to watchmakers. Built in the 1930’s the building is steel framed and encased in concrete with precast concrete floors. Externally the building conforms to a heroic modernist style with metal ribbon windows, linear projecting string courses and white rendered walls.
Most of the internal walls are removed from the existing building and new walls added to provide large shell studio spaces. Existing stair cores are refurbished and a new central stair is inserted to rationalise the circulation. Externally, various lean – to sheds are removed from the rear of the building, revealing the principal building form. The facades and windows are refurbished, and the render is painted a new colour of earthy grey.
A timber framed, single-storey extension is added on top of the existing buildings. Supported on a steel transfer structure, the new storey comprises eleven apartments. Access is gained by a new lift inserted into an existing stair core. Existing escape stairs are extended to roof level. Entry to the apartments is via a timber decked covered walkway which extends from one end to the other. Small open-air courtyards connect with the walkway and provide access to each apartment. Rooms are arranged around a central hall which may open fully to the open-air courtyards. Living rooms and bedrooms open out onto a covered balcony.
A new six-storey apartment building is located at the southern end, on the site of a former car park. The concrete flat slab and column structure is cranked in plan to follow the boundary of the site and continue the undulating form of the existing buildings adjacent to it. Four apartments are located on each upper floor with Live/work units on the ground floor. The roof overhang is adjusted on each face of the building, articulating its corner site location.
Both new buildings are constructed with prefabricated insulated timber wall panels, which are craned into position and clamped onto the face of structure. The external cladding is of fibre cement sheets hung as a rainscreen in floor-to-floor panels. In areas which are covered from the weather (walkway, balconies and courtyards) walls and soffits are clad in multi-ply solid wood (larch) panels. Windows are purpose made timber framed windows with flat aluminium glazing beads.
The removal of the poor quality sheds at the rear of the main buildings creates a new landscaped space which has a direct relationship with the river adjacent to it. Coloured concrete mats form a gently undulating field and into this surface smaller scale pieces such as flush kerbs, threshold mats, planting beds and bicycle stands are inserted. The placement of these objects suggests and support the different uses across the space. Fine mesh screens and entry gates further identify the boundaries of the scheme and support large-scale painted lettering that announce the new and multiple uses of the buildings.
