A Co-Living Development in London

HA024 - New-Cross Co-Living

Residential living is undergoing a transformation, introducing subdivisions that bridge the gap between traditional renting and property ownership. Co-Living emerges as a contemporary option catering to graduates and young professionals who seek accommodation but find whole flats or houses financially challenging.

Located optimally in New Cross, London this development is within metres of major transport hubs. The site poses challenges, yet through innovative design, we aim to address existing issues, particularly enhancing safety on adjacent footpaths, especially during the night.

The ground floor serves as the main entrance to the entire building, connecting to a public coffee shop and a co-working space. Both spaces boast expansive windows overlooking adjacent pathways, promoting safety during night time. The remainder of the ground floor is dedicated to the co-living experience, featuring a gym, cinema room, communal kitchen, and communal living rooms. These amenities extend to the basement, which also houses cycle storage, personal belonging storage, and access to a private garden.

From the first floor and above, the development offers private co-living spaces, aligning with the emerging London Plan for Large-scale Purpose-built Shared Living. The 120 rooms vary in size from 21m2 to 34m2, providing diverse rental options. Each room includes ensuite bathrooms, kitchenettes, storage, and balconies. Every floor features communal living, kitchen, dining areas, and laundrette facilities.

Situated amidst contrasting surroundings, the site neighbours a lacklustre student housing block and a low-level housing estate to the South. Given the absence of architectural cues, we took the initiative, encouraged during the pre-application stage, to craft a unique aesthetic that acts as a transitional element between the low-level housing and the larger student housing block.

In collaboration with our clients, we actively engaged in feasibility appraisals for various site options, ultimately leading to the selection of the co-living concept. This concept was presented in two pre-application meetings before the comprehensive application submission scheduled for early 2024.