Athlone Estate residential complex

We were commissioned to work on part of this multi-building development — David Chipperfield's first residential design for the UK — on the upper slopes of Hampstead Heath. Three new pavillions have been built in the grounds of Athlone House, formerly used as a hospital. Ranging from three to four storeys in height, each houses a number of luxury flats, with car parking and leisure facilities at basement level across the entire site.

Our foundation design addresses the steep slope of the site. A sheet-piled wall was sunk to alleviate loads on the foundation structure. Elsewhere the slope has been used to advantage with the construction of a new ha-ha.

The design of the pavillion façades addresses security as well as aesthetics. Made of precast concrete and stone with extensive structural glazing, each incorporates six-panelled bi-folding timber screen shutters as an added security feature. Engineering involved sensitive handling of this mix of heterogeneous materials.