OMA’s mixed-use development for London’s Greenwich Peninsula has been granted planning consent from the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Planning Committee. The master plan, called Morden Wharf, will sit on a 2.4-hectare site adjacent to the O2 Arena.
As stated in the architect’s announcement: “OMA’s scheme for developer U+I follows a years-long design and consultation process. Key to its development is maximizing the potential of the riverfront for public use and access. The site’s industrial past is reflected in the proposed mix of uses, balancing new residential development with employment and community uses. The existing warehouse on the site is preserved and will house small enterprises and creative businesses. Along the Thames’ edge will sit Morden Park, a 1.6-hectare public park, harkening back to the site’s marshland beginnings.”
The development will add 1,500 new homes, in 12 residential buildings, of which 35% will be affordable. New commercial and employment opportunities aim to create 700 new permanent jobs. In addition, Morden Wharf will feature 20,000 square feet of community space, along with play spaces, communal allotments, and landscape public spaces.
Reinier de Graaf, Partner in Charge said, “Our proposition for Morden Wharf is one with little ego, a surrender to the existing context that aims to reconcile the past with the future. Architecture doesn’t exist for its own sake but to frame the public space in-between.”
6 Comments
rem died? wtf does this developer's promotional visualization have to do with contemporary international modern architecture's most formidable theorist?
Looks like a Gensler design. Gensler would have done this work for a much lower fee then Rem.
OMA has long moved into life after Rem. With a larger overhead than ever, they need to take on more commercial work to offset losses on prestife cultural commissions. Its the same story for every firm that grows beyond a certain size. BIG transitioned into this stage much sooner. The key is to maintain an edge as a "Design" firm - thus the so-called big ideas packaged as visionary from BIG. Without those PR, they'll be competing with Gensler, AECOM, and even SOM on price and experience. Whether OMA can match BIG with its PR edge remains to be seen.
The smart way to do it is to not publish the second-rate works you do just for the money. OMA should not have publicized this Morden Wharf. BIG is doing a tower in Houston they don't tell anybody about.
Ah but they do want more of such commissions - these kind of projects can feed the office for a healthy chunk of time. Developers and governments will take noticed and invite OMA to more competitions of the sort. OMA still does the occasional 'D'esign projects but they are few and far between nowadays.
You might be right. I wonder if OMA's design edge will be lost over time, similar to the way Arquitectonica shifted over the years from doing interesting work to doing lots of dull things.
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