29th November 2023
Evening Standard Eco Living Award Winner
This article was published before we changed our practice name, from Edward Williams Architects to Cagni Williams
”They look beautiful, are run with environmentally friendly efficiency, and are cleverly designed to complement modern lifestyles.” So said the judges of The Evening Standard New Homes Awards that ‘recognise, celebrate and commend innovation’. The whole team at Edward Williams Architects works very hard to create exceptional and sustainable spaces for people who are looking for better, healthier, and greener lifestyles. The 2023 Eco Living Award is evidence of our success.
This brownfield regeneration of a disused car park delivered much-needed BTR homes in Stratford, East London. The nine apartments were designed to be innovative and sustainable, and to be built using modern methods of construction. Off-site prefabricated cross-laminated timber construction enabled the project to be built in a remarkably short time, with less noise than traditional construction methods, and with minimal disruption to the residents of the adjacent buildings.
The structure alone uses approximately 400m3 of timber which means that this project has captured and removed 400 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere. The edge-to-edge photovoltaic panelled pitched roofs are inclined to allow daylight into the existing ground floors, and with passive north facing panels and active south facing panels, on sunny days the PV panels can power 100 per cent of the communal demand.
The social value of the project was of vital importance for Newham’s Sustainable Community Strategy 2010-2030. The development not only provides additional quality homes for the borough but, designed with a variety of tenants and their accessibility in mind, provides all residents with private terraces or balconies and access to shared amenities and garden spaces.
The final result: eco homes where the neighbouring residents come to hang out.