Leaside Lock

: Bromley-by-Bow

Leaside Lock forms the south-west corner and first phase of the collaborative Bromley-by-Bow South masterplan, one of the most significant regeneration schemes in London at present.

As the gateway into the wider development from Bromley-by-Bow station, the vision is to create a vibrant place with a variety of flexible work, community and retail spaces lining and activating a new pedestrianised urban square. The 500 new homes include Build to Rent and 50% affordable and sit alongside generous shared internal and external amenity space, including a lounge, gym, children’s playspace and rooftop terraces with views of the nearby Olympic Park. Comprising five buildings, the architectural design draws on the industrial history of the site, the River Lea and the listed Three Mills Studios and forms a simple, timeless residential typology that the LLDC Quality Review Panel commended as “outstanding”. The pale green, large format pre-cast concrete panels on the tall building were chosen to reflect the tideline along the river edge, while the red brick on the surrounding buildings references other industrial schemes in the area. A key design objective for the development was to improve pedestrian movement through the site, along new streets and public spaces. The design features a tree-lined urban square area to act as a community focal point which accommodates for a variety of outdoor activities. Community and workspaces front the square at ground and mezzanine level and provides activity along key routes, connecting to the High Street and Riverside Park.