Novak Hiles wins planning for residential scheme in Hackney Wick

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YAYA 2022 finalist secures permission for project by developer Caswell & Dainow

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Young Architect of the Year Award 2022 finalist, Novak Hiles Architects, has gained planning approval for a new two-unit residential scheme on an in-fill site in Hackney Wick.

The proposed project, for developer Caswell & Dainow, includes a three-bedroom duplex on the upper floors, and a one-bedroom apartment at ground level. The architect described the design as developing from a combined “energy for small sites,” that was shared with the client.

Novak Hiles said: “We see the challenges of such ‘small sites’ not as a negative but a positive, providing an opportunity for creativity and design flair, as well as a chance to develop unique and characterful homes and spaces for London that champion high quality living standards.”

An external staircase provides access to the duplex unit, while the overall massing of the building is intended to reference nearby Victorian housing typologies. Each unit will have an external terrace area and the building incorporates green roofs to improve biodiversity.

Pale brickwork with pre-cast cement elements are proposed for the exterior, while the arches of the adjacent pub are referenced as a recurring motif. A “lost” street - Wick Road - used to run adjacent to the site, and this street name is to be commemorated in super-sized brickwork lettering on the side elevation of the building.

Novak Hiles state that the scheme seeks to improve upon Part L 2013 building regulations for CO2 emissions through fabric design, building service efficiencies and the use of low carbon technologies such as air source heat pumps. The overall impact will be a 57% reduction in CO2 emissions over Part L 2013.

Caswell & Dainow said: “We wanted to tap into Hackney Wick’s forward-thinking culture and through our collaboration with Novak Hiles Architects we feel that together we’ve created a scheme that references a classic London housing typology while also fitting in with the neighbourhood’s strong industrial aesthetic.”

Construction is expected to start later this year.