Common Projects

Zodiac today – breathing new life into derelict offices ♌ In its heyday, Zodiac was also home to Cinatra’s nightclub, a “typically Croydon” evening venue that was much loved by south Londoners. Since its closure in 2004, it has taken on an almost mythical status amongst locals who say “no other night club has been able to match Cinatras’ true ambience and cheesy disco feel.” In the 21st century, Zodiac became famous for a different reason. Fabled as “Apollo House”, the home of Jez and Mark in Channel 4’s cult comedy Peep Show, it now attracts enthusiasts from across the country for tours and events like the recent Dobby Club Marathon. Now, 30 years on from the site's closure, the original offices are being converted into accommodation in a way that sensitively retains the original features of the 1960s build – including original GRP Zodiac signs on the building facade. The concrete forecourt will be turned into a community garden and pavilion co-designed with community action group, Big Local Broad Green, and local residents. Unlike the original private gardens, the new “Broad Green Common” will be a green space for everyone in the local community to enjoy 🌳 Steve Sanham Alex Hall Giles Bursnell Croydon Council Croydonist Museum of Croydon Open City The London Society Rising Tide Images: london-road-croydon.org

Zodiac Court: a post-war modern utopia 🪨 In the 1950s, Zodiac Court, an office block, and Zodiac House, the residential tower containing 64 flats, were commissioned by the Land and House Property Corporation and designed by William H. Robbins architects, along with seven small shop units, and a large nightclub. In post-war Britain, a move to suburbia was part of the aspiration of the growing middle classes, and Greater London was undergoing huge expansion. Modernist blocks sprung up around the capital to accommodate this influx out of the inner city. Zodiac’s homes, intended for renting, were supplied with district heating and branded as ‘luxury flats’ due to the high quality of their build and finish. Over the years, the office block accommodated a variety of businesses including lock manufacturers, insurance companies and engineering firms. The brutalist complex still standing today is synonymous with the design movement which flourished in the post-war era; where designers favoured utilitarianism and low-cost materials like concrete – reflecting the functionalist principles of the movement. Steve Sanham Twentieth Century Society catherine croft Alex Hall Architects’ Journal Architecture Today The London Society Rising Tide Inside Croydon CROYDON HISTORICAL SOCIETY Croydonist Images: London-road-croydon.org

As we get closer to completing Zodiac, we’re taking a look back in time 🕰 The buildings we live, work and learn in are more than just bricks and mortar. Architecture plays a special role in preserving a place’s history, memories and identity. Embracing this local history was key to Common Projects' approach to the Zodiac development. From its Victorian origins to being a mid-century modern landmark, it’s a site that tells the story of Croydon’s ongoing evolution. The “Zodiac Court” that stands today on Broad Green’s London Road was built in the 1960s on the site of Broad Green House, a large private property that dated back to the early 19th Century. The House and its extensive gardens, built in 1807 in the architectural style of the era, was home to a succession of locally notable people including Lord of the Manor of the Rectory of Croydon and friend of Charles Darwin, Alexander Caldcleug, and John Gregg, the inventor of modern shorthand. In the 1890s the house was split up into nine different homes, foreshadowing what was to become of the site in the mid-20th Century. Steve Sanham The Victorian Society catherine croft Croydon Council CROYDON HISTORICAL SOCIETY Museum of Croydon Croydonist Inside Croydon Open City Images: London-road-croydon.org

C3 or not C3 and the design standards that come with it. In my last post I started thinking about how we could define what is needed for temporary housing. What are the criteria we should measure against? In London (52% of all temporary housing) the London Plan 2021 does include Policy H3 – “Boroughs are encouraged to identify opportunities for the meanwhile use of sites for housing to make efficient use of land while it is awaiting longer-term development.”   So, there is London Plan Policy support for the principle of temporary housing under a temporary planning permission. But why does it need to be NDSS – remember, we are not replacing permanent social housing which must continue to be developed, we are looking to replace the hotels and b&b’s and HMOs. Firstly – let’s be realistic – these are temporary buildings with a temporary planning permission to address a very real emergency that is time critical. These are not intended to be permanent. They are a better, nicer, designed to be fit-for-purpose, more cost-effective replacement to the Bed & Breakfasts and hotel rooms currently being used. Emergency Housing does not currently have a planning use class, and as such there are no guidelines or qualitative standards. The NLA, May 2023, Designing Out of Homelessness webinar, surmised that ‘… emergency accommodation is, or should be, a ‘home’ before resident’s transition into permanent accommodation.’ Whilst it does need to be C3 should all the planning policy housing quality requirements like NDSS, LHDG, M4(2), amenity space, BRE internal sunlight/ daylight apply? Of course not. Morris+Company with Common Projects and the The Magpie Project published a great report, funded by Commonweal Housing , in November 2023, proposing design guidance for Family Emergency Accommodation. The report used years of collaborative research into homelessness and housing to propose a qualitative standard for Emergency Accommodation for families and is practical with clear guidelines on spatial requirements and design. They do not suggest NDSS or LHDG – they suggest a pragmatic and realistic solution to deliver what is required for this type of housing with high quality design and thinking. LPA’s will need to get their heads around this and what use these buildings are for and be able to respond to the fact they are temporary for a very specific need. We have the opportunity here to deliver, very quickly, very smartly and very cost effectively, much needed Temporary Housing, buying us some time to improve the delivery of permanent social housing. Please see the relevant links in the comments. And please do let us know if you fancy a coffee and a chat about it. #emergencyhousing #temporaryhousing #socialhousing #london

🏢 West Croydon: Don’t Waste Buildings We have an undersupply of adequate affordable housing in our cities, including for the most vulnerable. And we have offices unfit for purpose. How do we unlock the resource in one to provide for the other? We’ve been supporting Common Projects this month in showcasing Zodiac as part of the #DontWasteBuildings campaign. Zodiac, a 1960s mixed-use complex, is being transformed from empty office space into homes and amenities. Original features - imagine square picture windows, waffle-slab ceilings, and pebbledash! - have been retained and restored as characterful design elements, showing the little-considered aesthetic potential of adaptive reuse. 🖼️ We are working on profiling Zodiac as an important example whose learnings could help mainstream the re-imagining of unused office buildings across the UK. Earlier this year, we released Common’s research into the potential for office repositioning as housing, finding that in 17 London boroughs, more than 75% of the total quantum of 41 million sq ft of office space has an EPC of C or lower (meaning it will be non-compliant by 2030, based on expected regulation). 🌱 Don’t Waste Buildings is gaining real traction for this idea, with over 1,000 supporters and a growing voice for change. Through policy advocacy, industry engagement, and inspiring tours like this, the campaign is building the story of re-use. If you're a funder, developer, or local authority keen to learn more or visit Zodiac, drop us a message for a tour in early 2025. ❤️ #DontWasteBuildings #ZodiacWestCroydon #UrbanRegeneration #AdaptiveReuse

📚 This time last year, we funded valuable research from Morris+Company that outlines guidance to improve spatial and design standards for emergency accommodation for families with children. The absence of spatial and environmental standards definitively impacts the mental and physical health, as well as the educational and economic prospects of children and families in emergency accommodation. 📈 As the number of children living in temporary accommodation rises by 15% - an increase of 22,000 compared to last year - there are now 159,380 children in such circumstances. Addressing the disparities in quality and design will help ensure safe environments for these families. This report equips councils and housing providers with the guidance needed to create better living conditions for families in need. For more insights on the guidance provided in the report, please follow the link below. The research from Morris+Company was also produced in collaboration with Common Projects and The Magpie Project. https://lnkd.in/d44iGqBM

The Zodiac Court refurbishment showcases how we can breathe new life into existing buildings regardless of whether they are perceived as beautiful, reducing environmental impact while creating spaces that benefit communities. Thank you to Steve Sanham at Common for walking us through this unique project and explaining the fantastic social value this will add to West Croydon. Another informative tour organised by #dontwastebuildings #SustainableConstruction #CircularEconomy #UrbanRenewal #Refurbishment #CroydonRedevelopment

Transforming a disused brownfield site into new homes 🏡 Great to have received full planning consent to create 136 new homes on a disused gasworks in Sevenoaks, Kent, with partners SGN Place and MAX Architects (UK). The decommissioned gas holder that once existed on the site served as inspiration for the 'rotunda' shape of the landmark block, which will sit alongside a four-storey apartment block and terrace of townhouses. In total, they will provide 136 new homes on classic brownfield, in an area where median house prices have increased by close to 200% since 2000. The scheme also provides a new communal, tree-lined garden, and connects to the nearby Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve via an upgraded public footpath. As Steve Sanham says: “All over the country we have pockets of post-industrial brownfield land with great potential for housing… We’ve worked on the design for Sevenoaks Gasworks for over three years, refining it to create a development that’s viable, the right density, and with contributions to the area of new gardens and better public access.”

Transforming a disused brownfield site into new homes 🏡 Great to have received full planning consent to create 136 new homes on a disused gasworks in Sevenoaks, Kent, with partners SGN Place and MAX Architects (UK). The decommissioned gas holder that once existed on the site served as inspiration for the 'rotunda' shape of the landmark block, which will sit alongside a four-storey apartment block and terrace of townhouses. In total, they will provide 136 new homes on classic brownfield, in an area where median house prices have increased by close to 200% since 2000. The scheme also provides a new communal, tree-lined garden, and connects to the nearby Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve via an upgraded public footpath. As Steve Sanham says: “All over the country we have pockets of post-industrial brownfield land with great potential for housing… We’ve worked on the design for Sevenoaks Gasworks for over three years, refining it to create a development that’s viable, the right density, and with contributions to the area of new gardens and better public access.”

#CommonInterests round-up 💡 From #Culture to #Heritage to #CreativeReuse — the built environment is full of inspirational change-makers. Over the past few months, we've been speaking with leading thinkers and doers in the built environment who share our aspiration for a more inclusive and healthier sector... So far we spoke to... Rosa Rogina, director of London Festival of Architecture Sascha Haselmayer, author, social entrepreneur and advisor for Ashoka Duncan Baker-Brown, founder of BakerBrown catherine croft, director of Twentieth Century Society Tania Jennings, Net Zero Carbon Manager at Lewisham Council Catch up on their interviews 👇