The beautiful Arts and Crafts heritage and the lush greenery of Forest Road in Walthamstow provided rich inspiration with such a strong genius loci. The Pocket Living scheme, completed in 2024, is located opposite the grade II* listed William Morris Gallery and Lloyd Park. Our client Pocket Living – who provide affordable, community-centred homes to allow Londoners to get their feet on the housing ladder – purchased the site to provide 90 one-bedroom apartments for local people.
Our vision was for the landscape to become the heart of the new community; to be flexible and encourage interaction and social time spent outdoors.
The prominent northern side of the site borrows from the established trees along Forest Road, and features a new semi-mature tree plus murals from a local artist inspired by William Morris. The triangular building form picks up on historic street frontages, with materials that follow the vernacular of the local area. This has been extended into the landscape palette through golden-red brick platforms, walls, and matte bronze-coloured angular planters.
The triangular building focuses on a central growing space, which became a key part of our concept, and we were delighted that green-fingered residents quickly took up the opportunity to grow their own vegetables and salads when they moved in. Table tennis and picnic tables also encourage residents outdoors; and ground floor units open onto terraces that connect with the wider courtyard, providing instant ownership and access. Third and fourth floor terraces give residents an opportunity to take in both the sunrise and the sunset.
The soft landscape works hard to bring year-round greening and biodiversity across every level of the scheme. An additional biodiverse ‘brown’ roof at fourth floor provides opportunity for local flora to pop up and supply pollinators with ruderal habitat; flowering climbing plants subtly divide private terraces; tall grasses, shrubs, and herbs are planted throughout. Five existing strawberry trees onsite were also carefully lifted and relocated within the central courtyard, giving instant impact, year-round interest and continuing the legacy of planting in this green corner of London.
“In what can sometimes be a hectic world, it is always encouraging to be involved with projects that allow provision for invaluable space for people to grow their own produce and plants, to help nurture themselves and nature.”
Helen Kirk (Senior Associate, BD)
“Over the years collaborating with BD at Pocket and at Hawkins\Brown, we’ve successfully delivered projects together where landscape enhances the sense of place of the architecture and strengthens social bonds between residents.
Allotments provided give residents a chance to get to know one another, share produce and seek respite from the city. Rooftop terraces celebrate the metropolis in all its guises, and increases social interaction and chance meetings for the residents.”
Angharad Palmer ARB, RIBA (Head of Design, Pocket Living)
