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Article from issue 3/2006 »Konzept Multi-storey Housing«

Housing Block in London

process p. 202 - 214
Architect Niall McLaughlin Architects | Author Garland, Richard | Niall McLaughlin Architects |

Drafts
1:10 Horizontal section through oriel window
1:10 Vertical sections
1:250 Floor plan
1:500 Plans
1:500 Sections

This striking block of flats in East London was realized to tight cost constraints. Large openings frame views of the urban landscape outside. The walls are a clear white, and the layouts are conceptionally functional and unspectacular. The experimentation begins with the facade: low-cost iridiscent wrapping film beneath cast glass conjures a sense of brilliance and glamour. The shimmering colours are a reference to the history of the location: even in the 20th century, factories were still manufacturing cheap luxuries there, from dyes to preserves. If the area appears derelict today, the iridiscent facade of this new development sets a sign for the future – which should be just as colourful as the building itself.