A Peabody infill project designed by Lyndon Goode Architects has been completed in west London. The five cottages on the Cleverly Estate in Hammersmith are the first homes to be delivered by the housing provider’s Small Projects Panel.

Developed from a concept by Stirling Prize-winning architects Haworth Tompkins, the two buildings – which replace rows of garages – are divided into two-storey cottages with a materials palette that picks up on the original buildings in this Conservation Area.

Cleverly – consisting of 18 free-standing three-storey mansion blocks – was built in 1928 in a formal style inspired by Christopher Wren. It was the first Peabody estate to provide private bathrooms.

Monumental in feel and featuring elaborate neoclassical detailing, Peabody designed the buildings to be distinct from the surrounding area, lending the estate a sense of separateness. This was recognised in 1991 when Cleverly was designated as a Conservation Area, and its original buildings added to the local list of Buildings of Merit.

Design approach

The project consists of two infill sites on either side of Sawley Road. Formerly hosting blocks of garages, the sites were both in constrained locations. The first – just 10m from its neighbour – now features a two-storey semi-detached cottage, while three cottages inhabit the second site. Both new buildings ‘borrow’ from the existing landscaping, with hedges and mature trees creating a dappled light over the elevations as well as providing privacy for the residents.

The existing Cleverly buildings were the last pre-war housing to benefit from decorative flourishes, something that has helped to give them an enduring sense of quality. The design team gave similar attention to key elements of the cottages, with pre-cast white concrete surrounds to entrances, a projecting pre-cast stringer and individually coloured doors. An asymmetric roof profile allows the living space to extend into the roof, creating a greater sense of space, while maintaining an efficient footprint and retaining the buildings' low line. Dormers help the building to blend in with surrounding tapestry. Windows to all dwellings are carefully located not to give views into neighbouring blocks.

The new buildings echo detailing used elsewhere on the estate, including red brickwork with a colour depth and texture comparable to the existing masonry.

Lyndon Goode Architects Founding Director Simon Goode says: “This is the first of three schemes that we are working on for Peabody to have been completed. Residents have told us that they love their new homes, with the generous loft spaces being a particular favourite”.

Project Architect Amy Corrigan says:

“It’s great to have built something that contributes so positively to the estate and helps to bring a new sense of vibrancy to the community”. Peabody Development Manager Ellie Probyn-Gibbs says: “Our project panels exist to help us deliver homes for Londoners while offering opportunities for practices large and small — helping us fulfil our mission of making London a city of opportunity for all. The Cleverly Cottages are among the first of a programme of infill developments we are delivering within our larger estates. LGA picked up this project on a very tight programme and worked closely with Quinn London to deliver a high quality scheme. We look forward to working with the same design team on an original scheme in Lee Green, Lewisham.”