Coopers Road, Southwark

Coopers Road is a major urban regeneration project being conducted jointly by Peabody Trust and the London Borough of Southwark replacing an estate of 1960s low-rise deck-access blocks and 11-storey towers.

Through consulting with the tenants, ECD Architects developed a 3/4-storey courtyard design that allows good levels of daylight and warmth into each residential block. Although many of the units have private gardens, the addition of shared courtyards results in all residents (including flats) having access to a secure and private outdoor area where they can meet and interact.

To blend with its greater community, Coopers Road’s exterior faces are a durable brick similar to that of the adjoining estates, saving a warm timber for the walls facing the inner courtyards. Doors and windows are obviously secure and lockable, but windows onto streets allow neighbours to keep an eye out for each other and act as a ‘natural surveillance’ for the street outside.

To encourage a greener lifestyle, the new estate not only has a layout that encourages the easy walk to local facilities, but also provides ample space for recycling and bicycle storage. Although provision for car parking was important to residents, the aim was to reduce its impact on the neighbourhood through discrete parking bays and tree planting. A speed reduction for motor vehicles is encouraged through a series of pinch points and narrow roads. Priority, it was decided, would be given to pedestrian traffic.

The decision to use a Combined Heat and Power plant to generate electricity at the same time as providing district heating to all properties was chosen despite its initial costs by residents as it was deemed to be more efficient compared to conventional systems. In future, it may be more affordable to incorporate solar panels to generate electricity on the estate, however, currently this was beyond the estate’s budget. The decision was made, however, to design the roofs and duct work to be ready for solar panels should funding become available.

Developed by: Peabody Trust
Architects: ECD Architects
Structural Engineer: Max Fordham & Partners

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