Thames Reach Housing

The housing at Thames Reach takes its cue from the pre-existing warehousing and has a scale and form appropriate to the riverside.

The use of brick, (unusual in the work of the practice, reflects the attention paid to the surrounding context. On the street side (the ‘rear’ of the site) the scheme has a restrained design with visible articulated stair and lift towers which break up the scale of the building. Floor to ceiling glass walls address the impressive sweep of the Thames – generous cantilevered balconies are set between each block, so as not to interrupt the view.

On the river frontage, where living rooms are take advantage of the fine views, a regular grid of glazing is broken up by an expressive pattern of cantilevered balconies. The ‘nautical’ theme is applied with a lightness of touch which recalls the bridges and piers of the 19th century. The design aimed to help open up the river walk and encourage a more dynamic public space along the water’s edge.