Hackney Wick, London

Until the 19th century, Hackney Wick, just north of Old Ford, was a small village in marshland. Today, the area is part of a cluster of vibrant creative industries that are a defining feature of its identity and is also part of the London Legacy Development Corporation’s (LLDC) regeneration plan, a development focused on community, reflecting local character and improving the public realm.

The Hackney Wick Central Masterplan, led by our client Notting Hill Genesis (NHG), aims to regenerate the residential-led, mixed-use brownfield site by providing 190 new homes across three plots, situated north and south of Network Rail’s North London Line and Hackney Wick Station. A key element of this project is the integration of the new buildings with existing Network Rail assets, with extensive stakeholder engagement from the outset.

Key Details

Client:

Notting Hill Genesis

Sector:

Buildings

Specialisms:

Civil Engineering

Environmental Management & Assessment

Geotechnical Engineering

Structural Engineering

Location

London Borough of Hackney and Tower Hamlets

What We’ve Been Doing

This phase of the masterplan will deliver 190 new homes, including 77 affordable units, 4,000 m² of ground-floor commercial space, and associated new public realm and play spaces.

Adopting an inclusive approach, the buildings have been designed in line with the LLDC Masterplan Design Code, ensuring high standards of design quality while preserving Hackney Wick’s historic character.

Our team worked closely with the PM/QS at AECOM, architects at Hawkins Brown, Delvendahl Martin, Studio Weave, and MEP engineers FHP to achieve NHG’s aspirations through high-quality design.

Site constraints were a key challenge in unlocking the site’s development potential, including complex interfaces with Network Rail tracks and Hackney Wick Station. Pell Frischmann played a central role in engaging extensively with Network Rail’s Asset Protection Team, leading on technical submissions and securing the required approvals.

One of the key design challenges was partially supporting one of the new buildings on the existing station structure. This required close collaboration with the architects to develop a structural grid that suited the internal layouts while respecting the constraints of the existing structure and minimising the need for expensive and carbon-intensive transfer structures.

The structural typology is generally reinforced concrete frame, with steelwork elements used for the lean design of external access routes and the feature slanted columns supporting the building to the north of the station, which bridges over a new access road. Due to the constrained nature of the site, a significant portion of the landscape and external amenities is located at podium level, supported by an integrated structure between buildings.

Outcomes So Far

Notting Hill Genesis has invested in high-quality design to help transform the area into a vibrant town centre. This transformation supports existing communities while also delivering new homes and affordable workspaces.

The masterplan will create new jobs and commercial opportunities by incorporating space for retail units, restaurants, bars, and community facilities. Pell Frischmann is currently acting as structural guardian during the construction phase. Construction is ongoing, with the structural frame of one building complete and two others nearing completion.