Sheppard Robson to lead on first phase of Earl's Court re-development
Above: aerial view of the Earl's Court development site (courtesy: Earl's Court Development Company, Transport for London)
Future Cities Forum will be featuring new district developments across the UK at its discussion event this January 2023. This is an extension to the series that began in 2020, which has included forum discussions with developers, councils, architects and planners on the regeneration of the Upper Trinity Street district of Digbeth, Birmingham, the Thames-side Blackwall Yard project in Tower Hamlets, the Milton Keynes council and Town Developments-led scheme at Wolverton, Reef and Gloucester City Council's Forum and King's Walk project, and also Coventry City Centre South.
Our January 2023 discussions will include Earl's Court in London. Spanning over circa 40-acres, it is one of London’s most strategically important development opportunities. The Earls Court Development Company has said it has 'a vision to bring the' wonder' back to Earls Court, with a masterplan that opens up the site to the local community, celebrates the legacy of world-class ingenuity, creates a 'better piece of city', and responds to the climate emergency. The draft masterplan design proposals will be shown to the public in the new year. Construction for this first phase is set to commence in 2025.'
Following a series of design competitions over the summer, The Earls Court Development Company (ECDC) has just announced the appointment of three teams of architects to deliver innovative, engaging and sustainable architecture for the first phase at the former Earls Court Exhibition Centres site. Sheppard Robson with Serie Architects and dRMM, will deliver the first phase within Hammersmith & Fulham, creating a strong relationship with the neighbouring West Kensington and Gibbs Green Estates and the Empress State building.
The ambitious programme will see a significant portion of the development coming forward in phase one, creating the first east-west public route across site in 150 years through the provision of generous open space and front-loading benefits for the whole community.
This early phase will include up to 1,300 mixed tenure homes including affordable homes which will be delivered alongside a mix of cultural spaces and offices that will provide opportunities for hundreds of jobs. Construction for this first phase is set to commence in 2025.
Extensive engagement to date has illustrated the importance of creating a place truly welcoming and accessible for all, leading to a commitment to introduce a people-led and nature-based place. Responding to this ECDC has appointed globally renowned Danish practice SLA as the landscape architect across the whole development site.
The newly appointed architect and landscape architect teams will work alongside masterplanners Hawkins Brown and Studio Egret West to develop detailed designs for the first phase of the emerging masterplan. Ongoing consultation since 2019 has led up to the development of the draft masterplan, with the next phase of consultation starting in the new year, targeting submission of planning applications to both LBHF and RBKC in Q4 2023.