Trafalgar Place

About this project

Designed by dRMM, Trafalgar Place is a flagship housing project within the Elephant and Castle redevelopment area, made up of 235 high-quality homes, including 25% affordable housing.

The development is made up of seven buildings, ranging from four to ten storeys. dRMM sought to provide variety through scale, with a mixture of mini-towers, apartment blocks and town houses. Each apartment was designed from the inside out, maximising light and space, and all have either a garden, balcony or roof terrace.

The redevelopment of the Heygate Estate, commissioned by Southwark Council and managed by Lendlease, aims to restore 28 acres of land in the centre of Elephant and Castle in London to its former glory as a thriving, desirable place to live and visit.

Engineered timber for larger housing developments

dRMM has pioneered the use of engineered timber since 2000, and has designed engineered timber buildings at varying scales from architectural installations, through to temporary structures, single dwellings and larger housing developments. Two of the buildings within Trafalgar Place were constructed using cross-laminated timber, a first for developer Lendlease.

With striking brickwork, glass and metal cladding, each building has its own unique look and feel to reflect its immediate surroundings and to complement the height of nearby structures. In total eight types of brick were used across Trafalgar Place, which were chosen to reflect the neighbouring buildings.

Urban design for outdoor living

Trafalgar Place provides some fantastic open spaces for the local community to enjoy in addition to designated playground areas for children. Working in close collaboration with landscape architects Grant Associates, dRMM improved public spaces, with a woodland walk, a new pedestrian street through the middle of the site and an attractive new central square, which serves as a central community space and covers a subterranean car park beneath.

New tree planting was key to the design of Trafalgar Place. In total, on top of the 25 existing trees that were retained on site, over 100 new trees will be planted at Trafalgar Place and the surrounding areas.

Providing jobs for local people

During the project, Trafalgar Place provided work for 32 previously unemployed Southwark residents. This helps to ensure that local benefits are delivered beyond the finished homes and contributes to the 400 local people who have been employed on the regeneration so far.

Part of the global Climate Positive Development Programme

The Elephant and Castle regeneration is one of 18 projects from across the world chosen to be part of the Climate Positive Development Programme. It is also one of ten low carbon zones identified by the Mayor of London and tasked with local production of cleaner energy to fuel local households and businesses.

The Elephant and Castle regeneration aims to deliver a climate positive development by 2025. It will do this by enabling sustainable outcomes, such as enhancing biodiversity in parks and buildings, improving public transport and cycle networks, and maximising the resource efficiency of homes.

In addition, the approach to development and construction will contribute to sustainable results. For example, by ensuring efficient building design and technology to improve insulation and air circulation, building all homes with 100% controlled, responsibly-sourced FSC timber and utilising cross laminated timber. 

Find out more 

Architect's perspective; Client's and developer's perspective

Climate Change Development programme

Awards

RIBA National Award 2016

RIBA London Award 2016

Brick Awards 2015, Housing Design Award

London Planning Awards 2016, Best New Place to Live, The Mayor’s Award for Planning Excellence