astudio welcomes Westminster City Council’s recent announcement that construction firm Bouygues UK has won a contract to design and build the first phase of the new Ebury Bridge Estate in Pimlico. Bouygues UK will work with the council and award-winning architectural practice astudio in bringing these designs to life, with the first phase due for completion in 2023.
astudio and Westminster City Council’s lead project consultants Arup have been developing the designs and planning application on behalf of the council which will be submitted in the summer. The new masterplan if approved will provide around 758 high-quality, energy efficient homes, including 50% affordable homes. If approved this will be the largest development of new council and affordable homes in south Westminster in a generation.
Westminster City Council will fund the first phase of the mixed tenure regeneration, providing homes for returning and new residents through several tenure opportunities. The scheme will also deliver a new public realm through connected garden squares and podium amenity, as well as community space, retail and nursery facilities, with investment in jobs, community development and health programmes for local residents.
The council wants to set new exemplar standards in comprehensive estate regeneration and continuous resident engagement in detailed design. The project has been developed through consultation with over 2,000 people, continuing digitally through the coronavirus period through webinars and video presentations, as well as telephone, post, and other methods.
Throughout the project, astudio continued its commitment to innovative design leveraging technology to enhance sustainability in line with Westminster City Council’s ambition to reach zero carbon by 2040. The scheme aims to reduce carbon emissions by 90% compared to the current estate. astudio used digital tools to develop internal and external spaces, creating high quality homes and public environment. Modern tools such as Virtual and Augmented Reality technology have been used to experience walkthroughs of the development, giving support to a rigorous consultation process with residents.
The project team for the Ebury Bridge Estate redevelopment further includes Arup, who are the lead consultant for the project, landscape architects Levitt Bernstein, and Gardiner & Theobold, project managers and Quantity Surveyors.
Richard Hyams, Co-founder and CEO of astudio commented: “We are delighted to achieve this milestone for such an important regeneration project – the largest and most significant in south Westminster for an entire generation. The quality of our design has been driven by a truly visionary Westminster client who have actively engaged with the design team to set new standards for estate regeneration. Our design for Ebury Bridge Estate has placed the community at it’s heart, with over 50 per cent of the project comprising of affordable homes. Having seen the project through virtual reality capabilities, we are now excited to see the designs come to life through our collaboration with Bouygues UK.”
Cllr Melvyn Caplan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration for Westminster City Council commented: “We’ve been hugely impressed with the care and consideration astudio has taken when working closely with our residents of Ebury Bridge. This collaboration will deliver a new exciting neighbourhood that residents are proud to call home. The quality of the designs are testament to the team’s approach and their commitment to innovation at every stage. With a contractor on board, these designs will now be submitted as part of a planning application in the summer. Should the plans be granted planning permission we will start to deliver the outstanding affordable homes and public spaces local people need.”