Hawley Wharf

Delivering a multi-award-winning masterplan regeneration scheme

Masterplanning and Urban Design

Involved from the conceptual and masterplanning stage we contributed valuable local knowledge to the team, working closely with the architects, contractor and the client.

The most challenging building was the New Camden Canal Market, overlooking Regent’s Canal. We proposed an efficient frame using post-tensioned slabs to achieve a typical 3m cantilevered slab edge.

Our design of complex basements delivered a three-storey top-down basement situated between the active viaducts. This space boasts an impressive 10m first storey that is now home to an underground theme park equipped with a roller-coaster.

Due to the location and layout of the site we needed to liaise with and satisfy a number of third parties including Network Rail, National Grid and The Canal and River Trust.

Our flexibility and responsiveness supported the client to achieve the architectural aspirations within the very tight site constraints presented.

Hawley Wharf, Building A0

Building A0 required retaining its original façade as a planning requirement, integrating it into a new series of four-storey, terraced commercial units.

Coordinating with the temporary works designer, ensured the preservation of the front, rear, and flank walls while selectively demolishing the building’s interior.

We designed a new steel frame within the existing walls, enabling the historic façade to be securely tied back.

We also designed box frames to replace the original ground-floor supports and developed a basement lowering sequence, underpinning the existing walls for stability, providing new commercial units that blend seamlessly with the urban landscape.

Hawley Wharf, Block A Fit Out

Following the base build completion, we undertook structural fit-outs to optimise the layout. We expanded retail areas and introduced strategic staircases between floors to improve circulation, particularly significant in response to COVID-19.

Our work included modifications to basement slab depths and reconfiguration of the lower-ground floor to allow for staircase ST04 and lift access. We also adapted the roof structures on Buildings A1 and A2 to accommodate large plant units, preserving functionality without compromising the aesthetic. We introduced openings in post-tensioned floors for service risers, a solution that maintained the exposed architectural finish while meeting the practical demands of this dynamic space.