Gascoigne West Phase 2, led by Be First with design by White Arkitekter and delivery by Wates, transforms part of Barking into a tenure-blind neighbourhood. Comprising apartment buildings and townhouses arranged around courtyards, it introduces a community hub and a substantial new play park. The masterplan aims for equitable living, combining affordable rent, London affordable rent and shared ownership alongside other mixed tenures, with a meaningful share of larger family homes. Its urban strategy strengthens connections, activates streets and establishes a distinct identity without tenure segregation.
A landscape-led approach preserves mature trees and weaves in new planting, rain gardens and a green buffer to bolster climate resilience and comfort. Walking and everyday sociability are prioritised through shared amenities and permeable routes. The homes are designed with high-performance fabric, supported by
green roofs and solar generation, and connected to a low-carbon district heat source that draws on river energy. Together these measures reduce operational demand while mitigating urban heat and supporting biodiversity, embedding long-term sustainability into the neighbourhood fabric.
Public realm and play were co-designed with local young people through White Arkitekter's Places for Girls initiative, ensuring inclusive, welcoming spaces that reflect local needs. The design approach balances respect for heritage with contemporary architecture, aiming to nurture wellbeing and social cohesion. Local programming and facilities help knit new and existing residents together.
Judges consistently praised the ambition, scale and complexity handled with clarity, citing thoughtful massing and a car-free layout with centrally located communal spaces that are well overlooked. They noted generous shared entrances without segregation, coherent architecture and a clear, well-communicated delivery method. Several considered it a standout example of affordable-led regeneration and an exemplar for urban renewal at scale, recognising confident translation from brief to built form and the strength of its integrated systems-thinking and place-making. One judge remarked: “A benchmark for what large-scale affordable urban redevelopment can achieve.”
