Quick Links
Design & Tech Services
© Ibstock Plc. 2023
Espalier, St John's Hill, Peabody Burridge Gardens Phase 2
The second phase of the St John’s Hill Estate regeneration in Clapham continues in a similar vein to the first by including eye-catching brick sculptures by renowned artists Rodney Harris and Valda Jackson. The first phase, Burridge Gardens, delivered 153 award-winning homes for the community and a Marsh Award for Excellence in Public Sculpture for the artists. Phase 2 will provide a further 198 homes - every one an affordable home - plus a new community centre.
Designed by architects Hawkins\Brown, the ambitious project celebrates the history of the site and the people who have lived there. In phase one, consultation and collaboration with the community resulted in a series of relevant sculptures being incorporated into the brick. These included a porter’s uniform, a World War II officer’s jacket, a washroom sink, and a line of children’s clothing. In this second phase, the front elevation includes a large-scale brick relief sculpture of a giant espaliered apple tree with a number of objects sitting in the branches, including a bird, a pineapple, a train, and a pair of ballet shoes.
Working with Peabody Trust, Hawkins\Brown were able to evolve and adapt the design to the needs of the community as the project progressed. This second phase successfully creates a connected neighbourhood of spacious, quality, contemporary apartments that feel like genuine homes. The £87 million budget also allowed for high-quality landscaping, a wild garden, a play area, and a central public square to enhance wellbeing.
The homes are also sustainable as well as affordable. Energy-efficiency measures include photovoltaic panels and a district heating system, which aid Wandsworth’s aspiration to be a carbon neutral borough by 2030. Approximately 10% of the homes will be wheelchair accessible, too. The development also very much meets the needs of the community with 109 social rented homes, 54 extra care homes, and 35 offered for shared ownership to help local people onto the property ladder.
The most physically attractive feature, however, remains the beautiful espalier sculpted into a stunning elevation constructed of Ibstock’s Staffordshire Blue bricks. These quality bricks produced the desired handsome and robust aesthetic that Hawkins\Brown desired. The result is a valued addition to the rich heritage of public sculpture in London as well as the creation of a new community where people can gather, socialise, live, and thrive.
Similiar Stories...
Queens Quay
Product used: Bricks | Location: West Dunbartonshire
Queens Quay is the first residential phase of an ambitious programme to revitalise longstanding derelict land in Clydebank. The site was formerly occupied by the John Brown’s shipyard, an important piece of Scotland’s industrial heritage where some of Clydeside’s most famous ships were built including the Queen Mary and QE2.
WE ARE Ibstock
Sign up to our newsletter
© Ibstock Plc. 2023
