Studio Moren draws on hospitality experience in BTR
Studio Moren brought its hospitality expertise to the residential sector with its fifth project with Grainger, the UK’s largest listed residential landlord, in Canning Town, East London.
The team at Studio Moren drew on the site’s maritime heritage for inspiration for the amenity spaces, on a project which prioritised sustainability and creating connections.
The team’s design responsibilities included an informal reception area, and relaxed, shared living and working spaces for residents.
The development edges Canning Town docks and Studio Moren looked to the neighbourhood’s story to influence the space. At Nautilus Apartments, part of the wider Fortunes Dock scheme, the water around the boats and the interiors of the vessels and steam-powered boats which used the dock was the stimulus for the look and feel of the development.
Sustainability was a priority throughout, with furniture, fixtures and fittings carefully sourced to minimise the building’s environmental impact throughout its lifecycle. A diverse range of finishes were employed throughout the property, including; timber terrazzo table tops made from off-cut timber from UK building sites, and surfaces made from plastics collected from various post-consumer and post-industrial sources.
Fabrics specified included Kirkby Design’s Fleck Eco, which combines recycled wool and acrylic yarns with TENCEL Lyocell and 100% PET recycled polyester yarns. The recycled wool and acrylic yarns come from the fashion industry, the TENCEL Lyocell is made from sustainably grown eucalyptus trees and the PET recycled polyester yarns are produce from waste plastic bottles. In addition, for every metre of this fabric sold, Kirkby Design donates a percentage of proceeds to reforestation projects in the Scottish Highlands.
Sustainability was also a consideration in terms of creating a community in the property. There was a focus on intimate spaces where residents would want to dwell, with chairs and tables of a suitable height to work and relax and acoustic timber paneling used throughout to create intimacy.
Speaking to the growth in flexible working, the amenity spaces are woven through with workspaces, allowing multiple residents to work and collaborate throughout. A playful, relaxed atmosphere was fostered, with tables inlaid with chess boards as well as space for books and objects relating to the local area.
There is a clear thread linking the happiness of residents, the liveability of the space and its performance for the investor. The lessons needed to strengthen this are to be found in hospitality, making this project one where Studio Moren could truly flex its expertise.