Al-Jawad Pike - Al-Jawad Pike

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Appointed through a competitive process as part of Hackney Council’s New Homes Programme, Al-Jawad Pike have developed proposals for 18 new social rent homes on a former garage site in Blackwell Close. The project forms part of a wider initiative to address the borough’s pressing need for high-quality, affordable housing while reinforcing the civic role of architecture in shaping inclusive neighbourhoods.
A compact, linear building sits along a north-south axis, referencing the local grain of gabled apartment blocks and creating space for a generous, landscaped public route linking Redwald Road to Blackwell Close. The design reinstates a former community garden, integrated with intergenerational play spaces to the north-east of the site. The five-storey, bar-shaped volume adopts a robust yet refined material palette. Smooth and textured renders are paired with high-quality precast and in-situ concrete, giving the elevations rhythm, depth, and a sense of permanence. Openings and balconies are carefully composed to establish a consistent architectural expression, while rotated square columns introduce subtle articulation and detail - anchoring the structure and adding a tactile rhythm to its public-facing edge. A raised concrete plinth mediates level changes across the site, forming a durable threshold between public and private realms. London, UK, 2024, residential