Electric Works

This mixed-use development is centred around delivering high quality homes and much needed public realm, through contextual architecture that creates a sense of individuality while paying homage to the town’s unique history. The scheme will create a multi-generational and genuinely diverse community transforming a brownfield site in the heart of Woolwich.  

The scheme comprises 918 purpose-built student accommodation beds (PBSA), 409 shared living studios, 93 new homes (40% affordable) and commercial and community spaces. The development replaces the Market Pound storage facilities, creates new hard and soft landscaping, together with ancillary plant and servicing; and associated enabling works. 

Located in Woolwich, an area of rich architectural heritage, the development is located on the former Woolwich Polytechnic and the Drill Hall site within close proximity of The Royal Arsenal, known for armaments and ammunition manufacturing. An extensive collection of historic and heritage assets is held in the Royal Arsenal and displayed within the town centre including the Grade I listed Brass Foundry.  

The Electric Works building served as offices for the Electricity Department based on Powis Street. The retention of the Electric Works has acted as a key driver for the masterplan given its importance in celebrating the rich industrial character and history of Woolwich. The Electric Works will play a key role in activating the new public realm and enhancing placemaking.  

The Proposed Development has been subject to an extensive public consultation process with a variety of community groups, residents’ associations, educational establishments as well as the general public. The programme of stakeholder engagement began in February 2024 through conversations and meetings with local political and community stakeholders.  

 Through that engagement process, the design brief was refined to reflect on the comments and outcomes. The proposed scheme generates a number of social infrastructure and benefits to the locality, in particular 89 new affordable homes, a new children nursery and new public realm. 

The site sits in Woolwich Town Centre and is around a 5-minute walk from the new Woolwich Elizabeth Line Station and the Woolwich Arsenal Station. It offers a huge opportunity to deliver much needed homes for the locality.  

A previous planning application submitted on the site in 2020 was refused due to the limited public benefits generated by the proposal. Our approach was to address these issues by creating a scheme which offered as many benefits as possible. A target of 40% affordable housing provision with 70% Social Rented was set and has shaped the design brief and masterplan from the outset. 

The scheme benefits from a narrative-led architecture that is bespoke to Woolwich, incorporating subtle references to the recurrent architecture around the Royal Arsenal, the Dockyard and Powis Street.

The strategy reinforces distinctiveness and legibility of the scheme, strengthening the sense of place and aligning with the current and emerging context. Drawing on the industrial character of the area, the proposed scheme will incorporate similar features and motifs with a contemporary take across all blocks. These will include multi-tone brickwork, horizontal GRC and brickwork banding, concrete lintels, Crittall windows, metal cladding with ribbed profile, sawtooth roofs, etc. 

We are looking to engage with a local artist to develop a bespoke pattern and motif inspired by the historic character of Woolwich and subtly incorporate into the ventilation panels perforation, ceiling soffits, metal balustrade perforation, etc. Public Art is currently incorporated into the elevation design, new routes through the site are connected be green spaces, and entrances create a pattern of new pedestrian friendly pathways throughout the site.  

Our climate leadership on this project is exemplified by our commitment to sustainability and innovative design. Block A, B, and C targets BREEAM ‘Excellent’ and adheres with the GLA and LETI aspirational benchmarks. A fabric first approach is also adopted to achieve U-Values far exceeding the minimum requirements. The scheme achieves 0.4 Urban Greening Factor (UGF) and targets 10% Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). All blocks benefit from ASHP, PV panels, and a site-wide energy centre. SuDs and blue roofs are also incorporated to manage rainwater runoffs.  

Our Circular Economy strategy is summarised in the following: 

• Retention of the existing Electric Works and retrofitting it.  
• Developing a design and construction specification that maximises energy and resource efficiency.  
• Specification of recycled content within hotspot materials where viable, mostly to be sourced from retained concrete and steel elements.  
• Design for longevity; specification of materials which are durable and resilient.  
• Designing for flexibility and future adaptability to ensure the design can meet current and future needs.  
• Where possible, building layers will be accessible to allow for alterations, replacements and eventual disassembly.  

Optioneering studies have been also carried out at early stages comparing various superstructure and substructure elements as the design progressed to capture the carbon reductions. 

Our approach was to design the scheme very closely with all the relevant consultants – including the cost consultant – to create a viable scheme whilst ensuring the high-quality architecture and aesthetics are safeguarded from heavy value engineering at later stages. 

 This pragmatic approach allowed us to simplify the design at an early stage and consider details with buildability and viability in mind. Our extensive delivery experience has enables us to design very lean and efficient buildings, minimising the carbon footprint and reducing costs which will eventually be transferred  to the end users.  

Client: Re:Shape 

Landscape Architect: Studio Bosk 

Structural Engineer: Whitby Wood 

M+E: Applied Energy 

Heritage and Townscape: Montagu Evans 

Planning Consultant: Savills 

Project Manager and Cost Consultant: KS4 

Sustainability and ESG: Carbon.Climate.Certified 

Daylight and Sunlight: EB7 

Transport Consultant: RPS