Wingspan Walk
A transformative regeneration creating a vibrant, sustainable new neighbourhood of social housing.
Location
Central London
Client
London Borough of Haringey Council
Partner
Levitt Bernstein
Sector
Residential, Urban Infrastructure
Theme
Urban Regeneration, Community, Estate Renewal, Nature, Transport & Movement, Tall Buildings
Services Provided
Wingspan Walk comprises three residential blocks, with 12 buildings, ranging in height from four to thirteen stories.
Designed to achieve Passivhaus certification, the homes feature exceptional energy efficiency, ensuring low running costs for residents and a comfortable environment.
The scheme is entirely socially rented homes, with the majority aimed at families. The development has created new pedestrian-priority routes with significant public realm, communal courtyards with play for young children and sustainable urban drainage (SuDS) features integrated into the landscape design.
Several structural framing options were assessed, with a reinforced concrete frame and flat slab solution chosen. The design focused on designing efficiently to minimise the slab thickness and optimise column spacing to improve the embodied carbon of the scheme. A reinforced concrete frame also lent itself to improved acoustic properties beneficial for a residential building, and thermal properties that contributed to achieving Passivhaus standards.
One of the challenges has been the constrained nature of the site, and an existing Thames Water sewer which runs under the corners of one of the buildings.
Our solution was to design the foundations for that building to cantilever over the sewer and engage in statutory consultation with Thames Water, who approved the proposals. The team guided the proposed surface water drainage strategy towards a ‘non-tanked’ attenuation strategy, which incorporated green SuDS drainage infrastructure such as raingardens, permeable paving, flood detention basins and blue roof systems. The strategy will allow for a reduction of below ground drainage infrastructure such as pipes and access chambers, while providing additional biodiversity and amenity to the community.
Alongside the 272 Passivhaus homes which are designed to reduce energy use and running costs, we’ve reimagined the landscape with new pedestrian routes and infrastructure that supports active travel, as well as recreating nature with a series of nature-based SuDS features to help manage rainfall and encourage biodiversity. The design of the SuDS features ensured that no buried concrete or plastic tanks were required, helping to reduce embodied carbon and cost, and benefitting both planet and place.
Wingspan Walk is a great example of the positive impact that can be created through a system thinking approach to regeneration. Working in close collaboration with Levitt Bernstein, the London Borough of Haringey and wider design team, we’ve transformed a historically industrial site into a thriving, resilient and sustainable neighbourhood.
Rob Westcott
Director
