Forest Road

Affordable housing facing the William Morris Gallery

Our second project for Pocket Living in Walthamstow provides 90 affordable one-bedroom homes for local first-time buyers, on a prominent site opposite Lloyd Park and the William Morris Gallery — the Grade II* listed former home of the Arts and Crafts activist.

The triangular site has contrasting contexts, with two-storey Victorian terraced houses lining streets on two sides and the arterial Forest Road as its main frontage. Our scheme sensitively negotiates these differing characters with a sculpted massing that steps up from three to five storeys on Forest Road, re-establishing the street front on all three sides.

William Morris Gallery
Massing concept sketches
Strategic design principles
The existing building (dashed) is set back from both Forest and Gaywood Roads and breaks from the street front. The proposed building improved the relationship to these streets by completing the urban block and continuing the line of street fronts on all sides.
Setting out the proposed building along the site edges also maximises the communal courtyard. A break in the massing at ground floor gives direct access from Forest Road, linking from the forecourt through the main entrance hall.
A strip of planting surrounds the building, continuing the grain of front gardens from nearby terraced houses and providing defensible space. Windows facing the street on all sides provide active frontage.

Just like at nearby Gainsford Road, we were tasked with achieving high density within a predominantly low-rise context. This time, there were added challenges of a town centre location with heritage value, complex geometry and ground level changes. The combination of high-quality architecture with thoughtful consideration of the public realm, designed through clear consultation with the Council and local community, were key to achieving planning consent.

We have evolved the language of brick and precast concrete decorative details first developed at Gainsford Road, maintaining visual continuity across the two schemes to create a relatable identity whilst giving the new building at Forest Road a distinct character.

Inspired by the curved bay windows of the William Morris Gallery, lintels are gently concave to catch soft shadows that animate with changing light. This motif translates to bay windows and parapets, creating a scalloped ribbon that articulates the roofline. The material palette contains a mix of warm white, grey, plum, pink and red tones acknowledging the diverse colours of surrounding buildings, with a storey-height band of darker bricks forming a base to the building.

Main entrance lobby

Walls with rich red-glazed ceramic tiles within a colonnade signal the main entrance, linking street front to communal courtyard. A raised corner garden facing Lloyd Park acts as a generous buffer to ground floor apartments.

The large, light lobby area on ground floor serves as a welcoming environment where residents can interact and socialise. With long benches and individual post-boxes, the lobby encourages residents to linger, further strengthening the sense of community within the building.

Covered bike storage and racks for visitors’ bikes promotes sustainable transportation options and encourages residents to lead active lifestyles. By prioritising accessibility and convenience, the design of Forest Road supports residents in making healthy choices and incorporating physical activity into their daily routines.

Whilst efficient and functional, layouts are augmented with a sense of community through a variety of shared amenities, including a sculptural triangular stairwell echoing the shape of the site.

Blank flank walls at street corners have been designated for Morris-inspired murals by local artist Adriana Jaroslavsky as part of a growing street art tradition in Walthamstow.

Hive Curates, in partnership with housing developer Pocket Living, hosted a competition amongst local artists based in Waltham Forest to design the mural. The selected Walthamstow-based artist Adriana Jaroslavsky proposal’s connection to both the natural and social landscape of Walthamstow stood out to us, linking to the local area’s Arts and Crafts heritage with forms that create a dialogue with our building’s curved precast concrete features.

The homes at Forest Road are popular with residents who live solo, or in a partnership. The design of the building and its communal spaces provide carefully considered opportunities for social interaction, alleviating feelings of isolation that can be experienced by solo living. Communal spaces have been thoughtfully integrated into the design to foster a sense of community among residents.

Shared spaces include two roof terraces with views of Lloyd Park and a south-facing communal courtyard. The rooftop terraces offer residents a tranquil space where they can relax, socialise, and exercise. By creating opportunities for social connection, these communal spaces contribute to the overall sense of community and wellbeing throughout the building.

There are two well designed communal gardens one at ground level and other at roof level. These will be planted with seasonal flowering plants that will add colour and fragrance to the gardens. In the central courtyard on the ground level, planters are made available for residents to create individual and communal allotment spaces.

Further information

Data

Location
Walthamstow, London
Project type
Homes and mixed-use
Status
Completed 2024
Floor area
5105m2

Credits

Client
Pocket Living
Gort Scott Team
Jay Gort, Fiona Scott, Andrew Tam, Sela-Jaymes Taylor, Barnaby Hughes
Collaborators
Boyer (Planning), WT Partnership (QS), Whitby Wood (Structures), XCO2 (Building Services), B|D Landscape Architects (Landscape), JGA (Fire), TPP (Transport), 3cRisk (CDM)
Picture Credits
Jack Hobhouse (Photographer)

Awards

  • The Pineapples 2025: Building - Shortlisted (tba)
  • Evening Standard New Homes 2024: Best First-Time Buyer Home – Winner
  • Brick Awards 2024: Medium Housing Development - Winner

Downloads and links

Related Projects

Gainsford Road

Looking up at the building frontage from the footway.

Central Parade (Phase 2)

Waxwell Lane

Waxwell Lane - Mews View (square)