Development Transformation of the Year
Chelsea Waterfront is a residential-led neighbourhood on former industrial land in west London, centred on the historic Lots Road Power Station. The scheme brings together homes with commercial, retail, restaurant, leisure, nursery and health uses to create a mixed and active place. It is positioned between established communities, responding to an urban context shaped by the power station and Chelsea Creek.
The masterplan uses the power station as the civic heart, opening its ground floor to movement and creating new pedestrian links across the creek. A high-quality architectural approach combines sensitive repair and retention of heritage with contemporary buildings, using design to bridge a long-standing physical barrier and to make an important industrial asset publicly accessible for the first time in generations.
A substantial proportion of the site is devoted to public realm, from formal water gardens to more natural creekside landscapes. Developed with ecological input, the scheme uses
reed beds, wildflower mixes, native planting and habitat measures for micro fauna to deliver meaningful biodiversity gains while transforming previously closed land into welcoming outdoor spaces.
Sustainability is embedded through passive design and an integrated mix of uses that supports daily life on foot. Community facilities and local services are woven into the neighbourhood to encourage social value and wider economic benefits, alongside the careful stewardship of a landmark heritage asset.
Judges praised the harmonious resolution of a complex brief, noting contemporary architecture and landscape delivered with evident craft. The relationship between new and historic elements was considered balanced, with tall forms acting as calm markers that respect the power station. Reviewers highlighted meticulous materiality, well-planned homes with generous external amenity, and an urban strategy that lifts the quality of place to a high standard. One judge remarked: “Highly detailed use of materials and finishes used throughout the development emphasises the thought and craftsmanship of the whole project from start to finish.”
