Housing Block in London

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.