Greenwich Square

The Greenwich Square masterplan has been developed on a brownfield site that housed a hospital until its demolition in the early 2000s, before sitting untouched for over 10 years. The site is located adjacent to the East Greenwich Conservation Area, with a number of listed buildings situated close by. This was taken into consideration during the design process, to ensure that the envelope of the building was in keeping with the local architectural context.

Sustainability was also an integral part of this project, with all the homes designed to Code Level 4 Fabric First, meaning they had to meet criteria for saving energy. With it being such a large focus, it was important that the materials selected were chosen with this in mind. After carrying out an analysis of the materials used in the local area, the design team selected Corium brick cladding for the bulk of the elevation, as it was able to provide a match to the local colour palette, as well as a number of important environmental benefits.

With Corium brick cladding offering an alternative solution to using traditional brickwork, it was advantageous that Corium tiles are produced as a finished product and use on average 75% less raw material than facing bricks. A third of the thickness of standard bricks, they can also be transported in more compact loads, meaning less transport is needed to get the tiles to site. Once on site, the tiles can also be installed up to four times faster than traditional brickwork, which was important on a site which had very limited storage and strict delivery protocol. The quick installation of Corium meant that this part of the build could stay off the critical path and meet the tight programme requirements.

With the design team wanting to ensure that the new building tied in with the colour scheme of the first phase of the development, a bespoke blue coloured tile was selected for the building envelope. The smooth blue tiles were then installed in a stack bond, with white mortar used to create a contrast with the dark tiles. This facade design has given the building a visually striking appearance, that doesn’t stray too far from the more traditional architecture of the local vernacular.

Alongside the careful consideration of the materials used on the project, the design of the communal gardens focused on enhancing mental and physical well-being, with connectivity to nature. Extensive planting was implemented to encourage residents to spend time in the courtyard garden, alongside play equipment and table tennis for the younger generations to enjoy. The natural topography of the site was also used to the design teams’ advantage, with the natural sloping meaning the northern side of the building was built one-storey lower than the southern side. This was used to provide underground car and bike parking, which is hidden below the garden.

Overall, this development has assisted in providing Greenwich with more homes, in a way that has carefully considered the wellbeing of residents, alongside the suitability of materials with regards to sustainability and in the context of the local streetscape.

Find out more about Corium brick cladding.