East London's disused gasholders are being reinvented
Regent's View by RSHP reinvents a pair of disused gasholders in east London as contemporary residential space and a publically accessible park
The Regent's View site will be familiar to those of us frequenting the popular canal walk and cafés of east London's Broadway Market and its creative community. Set by the water, in a space previously occupied by a set of large Victorian gasholders, the new residential development currently on site adds a new chapter to the life of the industrial mini-landscape that formed the neighbourhood's backdrop for years – ever since the cylinders, previously belonging to the National Grid, became decommissioned and disused over ten years ago.
Enter developer St William, a division of the Berkeley Group that tackles particular, characterful historical sites, and which engaged with architects RSHP (previously Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) to reimagine the round entities into a new housing quarter and a publically accessible green park.
Regent’s View: a new life for east London's pair of gasholders
RSHP's design translated the original structure's circular, industrial nature into two generous towers, adding three smaller high rises to craft a modern complex within a green open space. The project, which will offer 555 new homes – some for sale, some for rent, some private and some affordable housing – will comprise about three acres of landscaped waterfront architectural gardens.
Within this composition, the two restored cylinders are set to take pride of place – and rightly so, as they are considered to be among the oldest in the world, dating back to 1866.
The homes include one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, ranging in size from 555 to 1,247 sq ft. Show units have just been unveiled within the nearby Westwood Building and the Wright Building, featuring interior design by luxury specialists MAWD that nods to the industrial nature of the site – blending black finishes, wooden cabinetry, metal details and recycled terrazzo.
Retail will also eventually be spread across the site, while, titled ‘The Frameworks’, a series of amenities for residents will include a 24-hour concierge, a creative studio, co-working space, a lounge, a screening room and a wellness area, including a Peloton Studio.
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).
-
Gucci’s new book is a love letter to London and its contradictions
Part of the ‘Gucci Prospettive’ series, Sabato De Sarno has drafted Charlene Prempeh and Lewis Dalton Gilbert of A Vibe Called Tech to curate an expansive portrait of their home city of London through a collage of artworks, photography and text
By Jack Moss Published
-
Teenage Engineering introduce the OP-XY sequencer, an ode to Teutonic sounds and style
A dynamic performance sequencer, the Teenage Engineering OP-XY is the latest highly desirable piece of kit from the Swedish electronics firm
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Expandable Trailers delivers instant luxury accommodation on wheels
The new Expandable Mansion is a truckable structure that'll transform the remotest location into a restful retreat
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
A Peckham house design unlocks a spatial puzzle in south London
Audacious details, subtle colours and a product designer for a client make this Peckham house conversion a unique spatial experience
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Squire & Partners' radical restructure: 'There are a lot of different ways up the firm to partnership'
Squire & Partners announces a radical restructure; we talk to the late founder Michael Squire's son, senior partner Henry Squire, about the practice's new senior leadership group, its next steps and how architecture can move on from 'single leader culture'
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Meet the 2024 Royal Academy Dorfman Prize winner: Livyj Bereh from Ukraine
The 2024 Royal Academy Dorfman Prize winner has been crowned: congratulations to architecture collective Livyj Bereh from Ukraine, praised for its rebuilding efforts during the ongoing war in the country
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
RIBA House of the Year 2024: browse the shortlist and pick your favourite
The RIBA House of the Year 2024 shortlist is out, celebrating homes across the UK: it's time to place your bets. Which will win the top gong?
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The new Canada Water boardwalk is an experience designed to ‘unfold slowly’
A new Canada Water bridge by Asif Khan acts as a feature boardwalk for the London area's town centre, currently under development, embracing nature and wildlife along the way
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The Museum of Shakespeare set to open in east London
The Museum of Shakespeare puts the remains of the ancient Curtain Playhouse at the centre of 'The Stage', a new urban development in the heart of Shoreditch
By Smilian Cibic Published
-
Paddington Square transforms its patch of central London with its 'elevated cube'
Paddington Square by Renzo Piano Building Workshop has been completed, elevating a busy London site through sustainability, modern workspace and a plaza
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Architectural car parks to drive into, in the UK and beyond
Architectural car parks form an important part of urban infrastructure but can provide a design statement too; here are some of the finest examples to peruse, in the UK and beyond
By Ellie Stathaki Published