Peabody Avenue

New homes restoring a London residential landmark.

The Peabody Avenue project involved the construction of a new social housing development featuring 55 units, including shared ownership flats, for client Peabody Estates, following the demolition of old social housing blocks.

The 200-metre Peabody Avenue in Pimlico was originally constructed in the 1870s. The southern end of the estate featured two parallel blocks, but bomb damage during World War II and subsequent intermittent expansion projects had left it fragmented. The new development presents 55 homes within a five-storey L-shaped block that harmonises the intricate urban conditions to provide a new focal point for the Avenue.

A large, double-height opening that serves as the estate's new southern entrance creates a clear threshold, while preserving extensive views along the avenue from this approach. Masonry façades with warm, yellow bricks and subtle embellishments to complement the existing walls of the estate were inspired by the robust material quality of the existing structures.

The existing roofscape's articulation is reinforced with the creation of a simple attic storey. The new structure adapts to its margins comfortably due to subtle plan inflections, which also serve as a contrast to the strict geometry of the avenue.

In addition to the new landscaping, the project's exterior includes a new children's play area, a ball court, and the terrace for a new community centre. A number of deep private balconies on the western façade and at the block's knuckle provide magnificent evening views of the Thames across the Victorian railway sidings.