Scott House

Lewisham

Formation Architects have submitted planning for a sustainable PBSA scheme of 502 units in Deptford, London Borough of Lewisham, on behalf of Tribe Student Housing.

Client: Tribe Student Housing
Size: 502 PBSA units with associated student facilities + 1,072 sqm commercial and office space
Status: In Planning
Sectors
Mainstream Residential, Private Development, Other Tenures
Services
Concept Design, Capacity Studies, Planning Applications, Employer's Requirements

Scott House is located at the junction of Oxestalls Road and Grove Street between the Timberyards Masterplan which is under construction, and the existing Pepys Estates in Deptford, SE London. The scheme is a highly sustainable 31-storey building over the existing retained facades of the existing locally listed building, Scott House. Comprising of 502 PBSA units with associated student facilities and commercial and office floorspaces.

Scott house is in an area of mixed architectural characters, consisting of a loose urban grain with taller tower buildings and slab blocks forming parts of the Pepys Estate. And the emerging context of the Timberyards masterplan and the Convoys Wharf development which includes 3 buildings ranging from 22-35 storeys at the edges and corners of the urban island, each addressing an existing street.

The scheme offers an opportunity to link to the characteristics of the Timberyards Masterplan and tie the scheme into its neighbouring streets. The corner location of Scott House means the site is visible from many longer views along Grove Street, Oxestalls Road and the nearby Lower Pepys Park.

Design

The proposed scheme aims to retain the existing facades of Scott House on Grove Street and Oxestalls Road, minimising the amendments to the existing façade. Following consultation with the council and the DRP panel, additions are to be made to the existing facades to enhance their appearance. This includes adding a more substantial parapet in three areas to improve their composition following the removal of the pitched roof.

There is a connection between the existing building and the floors above help to clearly identify Scott House’s unique purpose in holding up the building. Round columns were chosen to allow the scheme to appear more slender and better proportioned.

Building Use

Student ensuites, studios and shared living spaces make up the majority of the building. Student amenity spaces such as fitness studio, wellness rooms, dining areas and game lounge etc. at lower levels and roof levels to offer a variety of spatial characters. Shared living spaces and communal spaces are prioritised in terms of their aspect, with all kitchens, living and dining areas positioned at the corners of the building. 10% of units are wheelchair accessible to foster an inclusive built environment.

Cycle storage is located at basement level. The cycle storage includes 378 spaces.

The mezzanine contains commercial and office uses. The floor plate is pulled away from the existing façade to create double height spaces to the ground floor to ensure the full height fenestration of the existing openings is maintained.

The rooftop comprises a mixture of a biodiverse roof space and a communal terrace for residents to use in a variety of ways. This flexible amenity space at roof level will cater for exercise classes and gardening groups which will help foster a sense of community. The green spaces enrich biodiversity and create a tranquil ambiance.

Overall, the design combines a mixture of a sustainability and facilitates a community-building atmosphere, creating a thriving communal place to live and promote holistic wellbeing.

Wellbeing

The inclusion of ensuites, studios, accessible units and shared living spaces meant that the scheme caters to different needs and preferences, which will foster a sense of community amongst a diverse student population. The design maximises natural light and views which will create a pleasant environment to reside in.

The variety of amenities ensures that students have access to facilities that support physical health, mental wellbeing and social interaction. The rooftop landscape allows the engagement of various activities for different groups, promoting physical health and a sense of community. Additionally, being in a tranquil ambiance to reduce stress and improve mental wellbeing.

Overall, Scott House creates an environment that supports holistic wellbeing by addressing physical, mental and social health, fostering a strong sense of community and a connection to nature.

A range of sustainable design features are proposed. Material complexity in the design and building form are minimized, reducing embodied carbon through material reduction in the superstructure, and sensible material selection. Modular construction techniques will be utilized on the facades, interior units, and bathroom pods to increase build efficiency, quality, and reduce waste.

Operational carbon considerations focus on mitigating overheating through passive measures such as openable windows with cross ventilation where feasible, high-efficiency building fabric, solar control glazing with a low G-value to mitigate solar gain, and solar shading for glazed areas. Air source heat pumps (ASHPs) and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems (MVHRs) will be used for heating when necessary.

The retention of the existing fabric and facades involves exploring the reuse of the remaining brick and timber structure as part of the landscape design. The rationalized structure includes slab thickness reduction and column alignment to provide a continuous vertical structure without transfer slabs.

The energy-saving performance requirements of the London Plan will be targeted, aiming for 15% savings from energy-efficient measures. This includes specifying a highly efficient building fabric with well-insulated walls, very airtight construction, and accredited thermal bridging details etc.

Scott House will create a prominent corner to the Timberyards masterplan whilst completing perimeter block of the neighbouring scheme.

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