Barking 360

2016 - Ongoing

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We're restoring a sense of coherence and connection across the town centre, and providing high-density, multi-layered, mixed-use adjacent to a transport hub.

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We're restoring a sense of coherence and connection across the town centre, and providing high-density, multi-layered, mixed-use adjacent to a transport hub.

Strategy

With great transport connections to central London, Barking is set to become east London’s new culture and retail hub. In 2016 we were fortunate enough to win two significant commissions in high-profile locations from different clients, and we welcomed the opportunity to offer an overarching strategic vision for the town.

Location:

London, UK

Client:

Barking 360
Swan NU Living

Role:

Architect and Landscape Architect

Status:

Completed 2019

Collaborators:

Stockwool
Heyne Tillett Steel
Mendick Waring

Barking 360

For the long narrow site next to the station, owned by developers Nu Living (part of Swan Housing) and now called Barking 360, others had come up with wall-like structures that would dominate the skyline and create a barrier between the station and the area beyond. Instead, we offered a fresh perspective which opened up the site with five interlocking cylindrical forms. Our scheme was welcomed, both by the planners and the community.

Barking 360

Specificity

At Barking 360 we’re delivering high-density housing with a high proportion of affordable homes. It’s a tricky site and we’ve worked within significant cost constraints, but our bespoke and complex design has created unexpected value and individuality.

Barking 360

These circular buildings are designed with straight panels between the exaggerated curves of the balconies, and this aggregated arrangement of connected drums combines efficiency of volume with natural dual-aspect orientations for all the homes. The curves provide another advantage: they allow wind to flow easily through the site and reduce the eddies and wind tunnels often found at the foot of tall buildings.

At Barking 360, too, there’ll be greenery throughout; the homes all have balconies and communal roof gardens, with decked walkways, stepped features, timber seating and raised planters.