Plaistow housing to take ‘inspiration’ from old hospital

Melissa York, Reporter Thursday, June 21, 2012
4:00 PM

A new housing development in Plaistow will take inspiration from an old hospital and modernise the terraced house, according to architects.

The four acre “island site” is surrounded by Samson Street, Southern Road, Nile Road, and Credon Road and is outlined to house approximately 150 new homes.

Peabody, one of London’s oldest housing association, are celebrated their 150th year by launching a competition to search for an architect to work on the development.

Proposals from the five finalists are currently on display to the viewing public at New London Architecture near Goodge Street, along with 14 others that were also intially selected until June 9.

The winners, PCKO architects, were announced at the New London Architecture Awards in central London.

While drawing up their prosopals for am “exemplar” housing site, designers were asked to consider how Londoners’ way of life has changed in 150 years, how communities have changed and what challenges Londoners face in this new century that they did not face in the 1860s.

The winning entry took inspiration from the ‘historic hospital buildings’ while new housing promises to ‘re-engineer the traditional terraced house’.

Apartments are also a feature with roof gardens to give space back to urban families.

The winner of the competition will be commissioned to develop a design into a full planning application, to include a mix of affordable and market homes, to submit to Newham Council for approval.

A senior judging panel, including Cllr Conor McAuley, Executive Member for Regeneration and Strategic Development in Newham, was involved in the selection process and the designers will now develop their plans into a full planning application, to submit to Newham Council for approval.