Unity Place, London Borough of Brent, for London Borough of Brent, with Gort Scott, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and Alison Brooks Architects

Unity Place is a 235-dwelling social housing project in the South Kilburn Estate of North London on an area of 1.31ha. Part of the 20-year regeneration masterplan, the £75.5m scheme establishes a new public park framed by the St Augustine’s Kilburn Church and the 26,964sqm new buildings  to offer a new civic square and public play space for the local community. 

Who is on the project team? (designer, consultants, etc)

Design Architects for other residential block not included in this submission - Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios; Gort Scott Architects

Delivery Architects - RM_A

Landscape Architect - Grant Associates

Structural Engineer - Buro Happold - Damian Wines

Services Engineer - Buro Happold - Damian Wines

Ecology Consultant - Biodiversity by Design

Quantity Surveyor - Sweett (UK) Ltd

CDMC - Sweett (UK) Ltd 

Contractor - Telford Homes

Describe the context of this project, its neighbourhood and people.

Unity Place is a 235-homes social housing project in the South Kilburn Estate of North London that forms part of the 20-year regeneration masterplan in a neighbourhood that was challenged by frequent crime and the lack of social cohesion. The scheme reinstates the historic urban axis centred on the St Augustine’s Kilburn Church to offer a new civic square and public play space for the local community. Pre-application public exhibitions were hosted at various stages of the design process, engaging existing residents and interest groups. These took place in local schools, churches, and community halls. St. Augustine’s Church played a pivotal role as a space for advocating the community’s interests. These consultations deepened our understanding of the community’s needs and influenced our design decisions, including the creation of safely overlooked streets, play spaces, communal and shared green spaces, and accessible routes to bin stores. The regeneration of the South Kilburn Estate is an exemplar in the way that all existing tenants have been offered a new home on the site. It has the overwhelming support of residents, as exemplified by a vote in 2019 in which 84% voted to continue. Originally conceived to be mixed-tenure, the scheme’s social housing would have been paid for by apartments for private sale. But, part-way through construction, Brent received a grant from the Greater London Authority, so the development became 100 per cent social housing. Residents are tenants from across the borough, many of whom are being rehoused as other poor-quality housing is redeveloped.

How has this place adapted, and how does it continue to adapt, to changing demographics, behaviors, market context, policy, transport habits and the climate crisis? What makes it resilient?

Reinstating the Victorian street pattern creates an adaptable framework that balances and integrates the needs of pedestrians, car users and public transport. This estate regeneration project transformed the area into a more inclusive neighbourhood, by adapting to the needs of diverse sets of people, including the majority South Asian community. This was ensured by public engagement and feedback loops, making the new scheme more culturally appropriate and flexible to change. The development has been designed to Lifetime Homes Standards as well as local accessibility policy and HABINTEG guides for wheelchair housing. To accommodate the needs of future residents, 10% of homes are wheelchair accessible, and are distributed across all flat types and in blocks that have direct access to parking to enable easy transition. The public realm has been designed to provide step- and ramp-free access to all users from outside at street level into front doors, communal entrances, and private amenity spaces. Residents’ health and wellbeing is prioritised, with excellent levels of daylight and ventilation throughout homes, stairs, and communal corridors. High levels of acoustic separation, passive surveillance, and resident privacy provide a sense of retreat. For climate resiliency, we opted for a high-performance thermal envelope, green roofs, and durable, eco-friendly materials such as bricks, terracotta tiling, and recycled content aluminium cladding to minimise environmental impact. In the basement, an energy centre supplies heating and hot water to both new and existing buildings in South Kilburn, contributing to reduced carbon emissions and improved energy ratings in the wider estate.

Please share any data or evidence about the social, economic and environmental performance of this place, or any relevant figures such as footfall, visitors, engagement metrics, residents, etc

Unity Place residents and the wider neighbourhood have significantly benefited from the improved public realm, as well as the increased number of high-quality new homes. Personal journeys to the Council offices by residents to express gratitude for their improved living underscore the positive impact of this project’s transformation of South Kilburn from a dangerous, isolated area into a safe and inclusive community environment. “The scheme demonstrates how high-quality, high-density housing can be achieved without building tall”—Laura Mark (Architects’ Journal) In the 2019 ballot organised by the Mayor of London, 72% of eligible residents in South Kilburn had taken part in a vote to the continuation of the estate regeneration scheme, out of which 84% expressed their support for the project [Brent Gov UK]. In May 2023, the project was honoured as ‘Best Housing Development’ at the bi-annual Brent Design Awards, reflecting the community’s pride. “It means a lot because the other flat was a bit smaller than this one. We have our own space, and the kids have their own space. They can invite their friends over and there’s more privacy for them and for us.”—Mr. and Mrs. Ferraro, among the first families to have moved in, had previously shared a room with their two children. (Capital West London) This project exhibits that when enlightened local authority stewardship aligns with the dedication of project execution and design teams, urban transformation and social integration on London’s housing estates can be effectively delivered.