Architecture

Public realm is the organising framework for the entire development. We structure Skipton House around Skipton Circus, a flexible setting for markets, performances and community events. The space eases movement around the station congestion point while creating a venue for the neighbourhood's everyday social life. Legible routes connect the Underground, bus interchange, new building entrances and cycle parking. This clarity of wayfinding supports safe, intuitive movement through the site at all times of day. We prioritise this visibility and ease of navigation as essential to how the development feels and functions. At street level, we animate the edges through active frontages and double-height entrance lobbies. These lobbies create visual connection between pavement and interior, drawing people into the buildings. Ground-floor cultural, retail and community uses ensure these frontages remain animated throughout the day and into the evening, knitting Skipton House into the wider neighbourhood. We retain existing trees wherever possible and complement them with new planting. This landscape strategy contributes to the biodiversity net gain of 19.78% and creates a sequence of streets and spaces that feel welcoming and well-used. The result is a piece of city that invites people to dwell, meet and pass through.

The brief was complex. We needed to bring together student living, affordable housing, employment space and civic realm within a coherent urban form. Four interconnected buildings, ranging from 21 to 31 storeys, answer this challenge. We carefully mass these buildings to frame streets and spaces. The massing optimises daylight and views. It steps in response to neighbouring buildings and the broader London townscape, respecting context whilst establishing a strong presence. A unifying red terracotta base references the nearby Leslie Green-designed Underground station, established in 1906. This material language establishes strong, legible character at street level and connects Skipton House to the area's architectural heritage. Above the base, distinct but related volumes express different uses. PBSA towers occupy the north; affordable homes sit to the south. Commercial and community uses animate the ground floor throughout. We retain the existing basement structure and target BREEAM Outstanding specifically to reduce embodied carbon – the carbon already locked into materials and construction. This approach future-proofs services and access whilst being responsible about the resources we use in delivering the scheme.

The design begins with everyday routines: arriving at the station, walking to class, meeting friends, accessing homes, services and green spaces. Over 88% of homes are designed to be wheelchair accessible. We plan entrances, lobbies and wayfinding with clarity, comfort and dignity for all users. For students, 1,434 homes are complemented by shared amenities including co-working spaces, cinema rooms and wellness studios. These spaces encourage social interaction, quiet study and wellbeing in equal measure. They extend the value of individual homes by creating environments where residents can live well. We organise affordable homes to create neighbourly front doors, clear pathways and safe, overlooked routes. Shared spaces – from lobbies to roof terraces and Skipton Circus itself – function as extensions of the home. They support informal encounters and a sense of belonging. By prioritising accessibility, safety and social connection, we conceive Skipton House as a place where different communities – students, families, workers, visitors – can live and thrive side by side in Elephant and Castle.