Quay2c Architects

As seen on ITV London Tonight News 12th June 2006.

Fairmule House

Background and Brief

Quay 2c obtained planning permission for this site in Hoxton in 2004. The site backs onto a former churchyard and has a street elevation to Waterson Street. The client’s brief was for a mix of residential units and B1 units. The scheme became the largest mixed use building in the UK with a main superstructure of prefabricated solid laminate timber panels.

Scheme

London District Surveyors Association (LDSA) Sustainable Building of the Year 2007.

The scheme incorporates 11 flats and 7 B1 units. It is a reworking of the previous permission by others with single aspect units, to provide double aspect accomodation. The churchyard to the rear is the final resting place of one Thomas Fairchild, the originator of cross breeding of plants who owned a market gardening business nearby. Quay 2c are interested in the hybridisation of the site conditions and worked with images of sweet williams and carnations, the two plants that Fairchild crossbred to form his famous ‘Fairchild mule’. The front elevation uses galvanised steel panels recalling watering cans etc while the churchyard elevation is of timber shingles. Both elevations have glazed balustrades and panels with laminated images by artist Julia Manheim.

“Other highlights of the Prefabulous show include the brilliant all-wood Fairmule House scheme” Fay Sweet – Evening Standard Homes and Property. 1st February 2006