High Energy
Contemporary urban design takes its lead from environmental technology at Kinetica, in Dalston. The form of the 14-storey ivory-coloured tower in east London is not simply an aesthetic statement; it optimises airflow past a set of vertical wind turbines. The scheme, designed by Waugh Thistleton, has been developed by Telford Homes in a residential street, but on a site that was formerly occupied by a warehouse and a workshop. In their place, the developer has built a mixed tenure scheme. In the tower there are 41 one, two and three bedroom apartments and duplexes for open market sale. There are also 15 homes for shared ownership on the second to fifth floor of the building, and a range of apartments and maisonettes for affordable rent in an adjoining building being developed for Metropolitan Housing Trust. Seven commercial units complete the regeneration scheme. A small amount of car parking is provided in the basement, and is accessible by a car-lift. The series of four vertical Quiet Revolution wind turbines attached to the building’s spine showcase the scheme’s green credentials. The boomerang shaped form of the tower accelerates the air around the leading edge of the building, when the wind is from the south west, producing optimum airflow past the service core spine of the tower and maximising the performance of the turbines. There is also a green sedum roof on the lower affordable housing and a brown roof on the tower to provide a natural habitat for wildlife. Most apartments have a balcony or terrace, and there is a communal terrace on the fourth floor terrace of the lower building. This terrace features a play area for residents’ children, providing a welcome secure playspace in an urban environment.
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