Page 22 - Sphere No.5 (Feb 2002)

C O V E R S T O R Y
T HE 181,000-SQ.-FT. SITE—ADJACENT TOTHE RIVER
Thames between the historic Battersea and Albert
bridges and overlooking the best of the city’s skyline—
was one of the most promising in London.
It is rare for such a large space to become available but this
one did, thanks to a warehouse and a neighbouring bus depot
being sold off at the same time.The plan was to build some-
thing special.
Hutchison Whampoa Property had been interested in the
area—Battersea—for some time, having already successfully
developed the Montevetro tower with joint venture partner
Taylor Woodrow Capital Development a short distance
downstream. In times past, there was something of a stigma
attached to the area, but the development of attractions such
as the Tate Modern art gallery has changed perceptions
considerably.
The Richard Rogers-designed Montevetro project proved
that people would buy luxury apartments on the once-unfash-
ionable South Bank. HWP wanted to make the most of the
view, and in turn to create something distinctive and eye-
catching when viewed from the North Bank, so international-
ly renowned architects Foster and Partners were called in to
design a landmark building, their first residential development
on this scale.
In October 1997, Professor Bill Hillier of the University of
London’s Space and Syntax Laboratory assessed the site. He
plotted the best lines down to the river and came up with a
“spiral geometry”. Plans for a 21-storey glass-and-aluminium
building were drawn up, incorporating a staggered curve based
on the lines of a seashell to give the north facing units the
maximum possible river view.
But there were problems. The site, opposite the historic
CheyneWalk in Chelsea, was sensitive to development and the
first objection came from English Heritage, the Government-
DRAWING ON EXPERIENCE
sponsored buildings watchdog, over the proposed height.
So, taking these concerns into account, the architects went
back to the drawing board on a 16-storey design.
Revised plans were submitted in mid-1998, only for the
Secretary of State for the Environment to call it in due to con-
cerns over the bulk, height and lack of affordable housing.
“We were back to square one,” recalls Edmond Ho,
Executive Director & General Manager of HWP (Europe).
HWP then decided to go for something more modest, and
submitted plans in August 1999 for an 11-storey 197-unit
building. It finally got the full go-ahead in March 2001.
It was then that construction-management company
Exterior was brought in to turn the plans into reality. To begin,
the entire site was excavated almost down to water level, to
be transformed into an underground parking lot. “The site
became a gigantic hole,” Ho recalls.
By October 2001 the hole was covered and the foundations
laid. Albion Riverside was off the
ground at last.
Marketing began in mid-October,
targeting prominent journalists
and bolstered by advertising in the
Financial Times, London Property
News and Country Life , and
spearheaded by an on-site market-
ing suite.
The marketing suite, says Ho, has
proven to be “the major marketing
tool”, showing off to prospective
buyers the quality of the interior
finish, including specially designed
kitchens, bathrooms and Lord
Foster’s own choice of furniture
and fittings.
A photo-enhanced impression ( below) of how the Albion Riverside development will look when viewed from the North Bank of the Thames.
By Simon Jeffery