Upton and Raynham is on a constrained site connecting Meridian Water One with Fore Street. The only existing buildings are an eighteen-storey tower with a sunken parking lot, severing it from its context, and an empty and derelict building which suffers from anti-social behaviour and is to be demolished. Despite this difficult context, there is a strong and variegated community here, and residents are keen for their neighbourhood to improve.
The scheme, developed for Enfield Council, provides 134 new homes (most is for families and, of which, 70% is affordable), commercial units and flexible community spaces. The landscape and public realm is the result of a collaboration with Dutch office OKRA; amenity and play areas are distributed around a pedestrian/cycling green link, integrating sustainable drainage. A new public square provides an accessible entrance to the retained tower.
The design has sustainability at its core. The fabric-first approach is integrated by renewables and low carbon energy sources, and by maximising the north-south orientation of the site. The development is designed to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the community, encouraging active travel and protecting amenity and public realm from the challenging environment of the North Circular Road.
Creating a safe and healthy community through collaborative design and considered place-making.