DORIC YARDS Londoners don t just need more places to live; they also need spaces to work. With the arrival of a new Crossrail station and the ever-increasing demand for housing, low-density industrial land along Nathan Way is under rising pressure to be released into the hands of developers. Physical infrastructure barriers are no longer enough to dissuade interest in increasing land value. If industrial land is to survive and remain affordable, it needs to perform much better, for a greater number of people. The proposal for building Doric Yards presents a sustainable model for increasing the density of workspaces on Site B in a way that positively contributes to the life of the local community. The project rejects the generic onesize-fits-all solution (as demonstrated in the undergoing construction of an adjacent site) in favour of more ad hoc approach, which carefully considers the re-appropriation of shared space and infill construction of new units, to fit on site with minimal disturbance to residing businesses. The new buildings offer established businesses, start-ups and young people a wide range of flexible workspace typologies, with opportunities to train, share space and expand as needed. Doric Yards invites visitors to explore this industrial site through its strategic location and open relationship to the Ridgeway, acting as a landmark on a linear journey that celebrates local infrastructure and industrial land. The buildings offer generous gardens, external courtyards, a café and event spaces to the local community through this linear park, a much needed bridge to Plumstead Station and the residential neighbourhoods to the south and east of Nathan Way. 781R3G
781R3G I Page 1 Doric Yards: Supporting Diverse Local Businesses. This central site on Nathan Way is occupied by a great variety of industrial businesses, which add value to the local community through the diverse services, products and employment opportunities that they offer. Whilst internal space is used very efficiently by most residing businesses, there is a lot of scope for improvement in the way that shared external areas are appropriated. The area suffers from a distinct lack of amenities within walking distance, particularly shops and cafes. 1 1. Fastshield YO / Y-Auto AD Glassworks O Jays Auto Service CVR Automotive Trade Computers / Recycle-IT Ultracrease Sanctuary of Praise Community Centre DN Garage / AZ Cars Pro Garden Supplies Real Estate Consortium B&R Distribution Fastshield Inefficient parking Existing Units Cuts and prepares polystyrene blocks for packing, carpet underlays and insulation Shared external spaces are dominated by parked cars belonging to local auto repair garages 4 x 114m 6 x 145m 108 Nathan Way 1 x 358m No Kellner Rd. 14 years old, 3 employees 1 x 46m 1 x 16m 1 x 194m 1 x 4m 1 x 55m 1 x 19m 1 x 4m Underused courtyards and barrier walls CVR Automotive Car body workshop.5 years old, 6 employees Walls and fences separate the seldom used external courtyard at no. 6 Kellner Road from adjacent shared spaces and discourage open access. AD Glassworks Unsuitable spaces Makes splash-backs, mirrors, printed glass, other glass products There is a lack of space for expanding businesses at no. 8 Kellner Road., resulting in inappropriate courtyard extensions 3 years old, 3 employees Total: 75m (18 units) Poor neighbourhood connections Product storage and distribution. Extensions to Doric Centre Simultaneously, half the internal space at the Doric Centre remains empty most of the time, unsuited to temporary use by the Sanctuary of Praise Group on occasional evenings, as a community meeting space B&R Distribution Doric Centre No 8 Kellner Rd. (total GIA 95m) There is no accessible connection to the adjacent Ridgeway and land to the south of the site. All amenities are located very far away. 4 years old, employees 1 1. There is nothing around here, no cafes, no shops - Office manager of CVR Auto Good use of internal space by residing local businesses Poor use of external spaces and connection to the wider neighbourhood asian community centre Location of Site B 1:10000 1:500 Radio Mast
781R3G I Page Doric Yards: Proposed Development The proposed development strategy can be implemented in three phases: 1 Connect shared courtyards, relocate parking spaces and densify the site with infill development 3 Demolish the Doric Centre and relocate existing businesses to new premises on site (all auto businesses to have direct street and parking access on Kellner Road) Build Doric Yards: new flexible workspaces, gardens and neighbourhood amenities; connect buildings and gardens to the Ridgeway Fastshield. Ultracrease Centre (upstairs) 1 Real Estate Consortium (upstairs) 1. 8-100 Nathan Way Existing Units Doric Yards can be built incrementally, as funds become available. 4 x 114m 6 x 145m 108 Nathan Way 1 x 358m No Kellner Rd. 145 m Total: 1684m (11 units) (8-100 Nathan Way) 18 x 186m 1 x 181m x 33m 1 x 339m. Total: 437m ( units) Proposed Units 1 x 157m x 145m 1 x 81m 1 x 65 m 1 x 7m 1 x 56m 1:1000 Internal floor space may be subdivided to accommodate a wide range of workspace typologies for the use of both start-ups and established businesses, located around two central service cores. Internal and external spaces have been allocated for the open use of the community and the Sanctuary of Praise group, in the form of a shared workshop, a cafe, a shop, events spaces, meeting rooms, gardens and a shared external courtyard. 4m 3m 3m 4m 3m co-working space 85m kitchen 141 m community hall / events space 4m nd Floor 17 m dining area 85m 3m 3m 4m 3rd Floor 65 m 1. 7 m 108 Nathan Way & No Kellner Rd. (total GIA 91m) 11 x 3m 16 x 4m 1 x 85m 1 x 17m x 135m 1 x 141m x 155m 1 x 306m 1 x 348m x 378m No 8 Kellner Rd. (total GIA 595m) 306 m Total: 607m (56 units) 514m (exc. shared space) 155m 1 135m 4m 378 m 114 m 4 m shop 348 m 85m shared Workshop 85m shared courtyard 5th Floor 85m group meeting room asian community centre Doric Yards Communty Gard en 1:500 Radio Mast
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781R3G I Page 4 Doric Yards: Connections to the Ridgeway The proposed structures have a strong presence on the Ridgeway, inviting visitors to explore the gardens, external courtyards, cafe and event spaces. In relation to the wider neighbourhood, Doric Yards forms part of a sequence of places to be discovered by those walking along this linear park, between Plumstead Station / Nathan Way and the eastern residential neighbourhoods of Abbey Wood and Thamesmead. Such linear journeys are key to changing people s perception of this area, turning industrial land and infrastructure into valuable places to be explored and celebrated within the local community. Note: The project has been illustrated below in relation to the stem and branch projects proposed by MUF in the Ridgeway Masterplan (010). a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Views of landmark buildings and notable infrastructure from the Ridgeway Plumstead a. c. b. g. d. e. f. crossness pumping station 1:5000 Plumstead Industrial Rooftop Art Commissions Asian Community Centre Doric Yards Community Garden Radiomast The Ridgeway Classroom Community Orchard and Growing Plots Lookouts and Dens Playscape