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The district of White City in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is being reshaped by a new development designed by local firm Patel Taylor. The first phase of White City Living, developed by St James and now under construction, will provide 406 homes and a number of public open spaces as part of the multi-stage masterplan.
About 70 percent of the 10-acre property has been set aside for open space, a key aspect of the scheme that Roger Meyer, associate at Patel Taylor, calls "a development set within a park." Three building types — 'pavilion,' 'mansion,' and 'skyline' — will house a mix of one- and two-bedroom homes. The 'skyline' and 'pavilion' buildings will have their own distinctive characters, while the 'mansion' buildings are envisaged as high-quality townscape structures. A range of building heights, some rising to 30-storey pinnacles, direct users to the park.
A press release says the aim of the built form is to "echo the feeling of the best parts of New York and Chicago, with a range of building types and heights creating a dynamic skyline." While the buildings are thematically different, a common precast concrete cladding scheme of whites and creams help unify the character of the development.
Meyer says the team at Patel Taylor took inspiration from the roots of the neighbourhood, which was first developed for the Franco-British exhibition in 1908. The white cladding used on the pavilions that were set up for the exhibition sparked the nickname the 'Great White City.'
The project also introduces new connections to the site, including a link over the Central Line underground, providing access to the Television Centre to the west, and another link to Westfield shopping centre just south.
The first apartments went to market in early September. As construction begins, Patel Taylor has now been tasked with developing designs for the next phase of over 400 homes. Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
