It was only 40 years ago when London’s docks were the gateway through which the British Empire’s fortunes passed. After 1981, however, those same docks – with their hotels and burgeoning warehouses – fell into disrepair. That is, until Boris Johnson, then Mayor of London, commissioned a regeneration scheme in 2013, which included Great Eastern Quays. Part of the redevelopment features Royal Albert Wharf’s stunning 1,800 flats, commercial buildings, and offices. Graham Boyd, Sales Director at Traditional Brick and Stone (TBS) who are a long-standing importer of Nelissen products, explains how the brick choice contributed to the overall aesthetic of the scheme.
Great Eastern Quays have become a residential area in which Londoners enjoy quiet surroundings. Shops, bars, restaurants and offices are interspersed between the homes, adding vibrancy to the banks of the docks, which is fed by the River Thames.
“The client and architects reached a balanced compromise for the new neighbourhood’s master plan,’ says Graham Boyd. ’This enabled them to treat the industrial heritage with respect, whilst ensuring a variation to the way in which the façades were represented. The design of the buildings was sympathetic to the warehouses, taking account of its heritage with a contemporary twist. Residents are able to enjoy architectural diversity in an urban setting overlooking the water.”
First-rate craftsmanship
The design team, assisted by TBS and Taylor Maxwell, worked closely with the client, Notting Hill Genesis and main contractor, Vistry Partnerships, to select three different bricks: “The grey Zola, dark red Autrique, and grey multi Moreno, provide each building with a unique look, offering them distinct identities. Nelissen reinforced its reputation in providing high quality bricks across a range of different colour options.”
Special brick bonds
“The bricks give the buildings an innovative look and the unique brick bonding does the rest,” adds Boyd. “The original warehouses on the quay had flat façades. We used the Zola to recreate the traditional façade, but the Autrique was laid in an innovative manner, with feature panels being stack bonded both vertically and horizontally. The accuracy of the Nelissen bricks supplied has assisted the contractor in achieving a very high standard to the finished brickwork.”
Award-winning regeneration
The stacked bricks around the windows are contained within recessed panels, which creates a shadow line across the building’s façade to break up the elevations. All of these features add to the overall aesthetic of the scheme.
Vistry Partnerships’ site team have won the NHBC (National House Building Council) national accolade: “Pride in the Job Award” for the last two years, which demonstrates the high quality of both the site supervision and the overall finished workmanship.
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© Robert Greshoff -
© Robert Greshoff -
© Robert Greshoff -
© Robert Greshoff -
© Robert Greshoff
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