Southwark Housing

“We decided to hire and work with AFL because of their competence, reliability and team-oriented work. We will certainly work on further projects in London with AFL” – Moritz Gruppe GmbH, Berlin

This innovative mid-rise housing and mixed-use scheme in Southwark, South London (SE1), was designed to continue the borough’s rich history of timber buildings.

CLT Structure

The proposal features a sustainable Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) structure for the upper floors. By employing these advanced prefabricated timber panels, the building achieves a carbon-negative structural footprint.

CLT not only dramatically reduces the embodied energy of the project but also enables significantly faster on-site construction times and allows for the materials to be repurposed or recycled at the end of the building’s lifecycle.

Architectural Concept

Southwark’s rich architectural history includes many galleried timber coaching inns built during the 17th century, the last surviving example being the Grade I listed George Inn on Borough High Street. Historically, these buildings were vibrant places of both rest and entertainment for weary travellers.more

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Many were arranged around central courtyards that doubled as informal playhouses, where timber galleries provided elevated views of an impromptu stage.

Our contemporary scheme pays homage to this heritage. To the exterior, generous galleried balconies recall the atmospheric, timber-framed galleries of Southwark’s historic coaching inns. The design provides bright, dual-aspect flats with panoramic views of the London city skyline.

Ground Floor Cafe

At the ground floor level, a double-height cafe creates an active street frontage, breathing new life into the street. This commercial space opens out into a newly designed outdoor dining area that links to the historic Horseshoe Inn located directly opposite, creating a new public space.

Project Information

Project Architect:
Ben Ridley, Amrit Marway

Location:
Melior Place, Southwark SE1