Regeneration around Archway, Holloway and Seven Sisters has been soaring in recent years, with new homes, restaurants and football stadiums. Now a new hotel given the go-ahead by Islington council will be built in half the time construction works normally take – thanks to innovative offsite construction techniques.
Designed by leading architects tp bennett, the modular hotel at 240 Seven Sisters Road, near to Holloway Road and close by the Emirates stadium, will be built offsite in a factory in Bedford. Work will begin onsite to create foundations and a concrete core while the rooms are completed miles away.
Holloway Road now boasts a fervent mix of housing, retail and leisure. Major student operators such as Greystar, Unite Students and Pure Student Living have invested heavily, while build-to-rent pioneers Essential Living have transformed Archway, an area popular with artists and musicians.
Local residents include Madness singer Suggs and BBC radio DJ Gilles Peterson.
Unlike many of the old-fashioned Victorian hostels that line Finsbury Park – which has played host to music legends such as Oasis and rapper Kendrick Lamar – Tide Construction’s new modular hotel will be highly energy efficient owing to the unique design of their modular technology.
Thanks to tp bennett’s use of building information management (BIM) software during the design process, the architects have ensured that the hotel can be operated efficiently once finished, cutting carbon emissions and reducing costs.
Another priority for tp bennett – and one that drew commendation from planners – was the creation of new public realm which will be achieved by activating the space in front of the hotel. The so-called ‘active frontage’ on Seven Sisters Road will open up an entry plaza for hotel guests and locals using the ground-floor restaurant.
Against a rather busy streetscape with commuters during the week and football fans at weekends, the main entrance will contrast neatly with a bright and spacious opening that is clearly legible from within surrounding streets. It will be a reversal of fortunes for the derelict site previously occupying the spot next to the viaduct at 240 Seven Sisters Road.
The tp Bennett’s simple core arrangement allows each room to boast external façade which enhances how natural light can be brought in, while providing impressive views across the city. The hotel rooms are varied, with a mix of two to four bed spaces.
Developer Tide Construction, which has won multiple awards for pioneering offsite construction, secured planning permission from Islington council [last week] following the completion of another major modular scheme next to Holloway Road Tube that has been sold to Greystar.
Nenad Manasijevic, Principal Director at tp bennett, said: “This is thriving area surprisingly short of hotel spaces, so we’re delighted to be working with Tide Construction and Vision Modular Systems, who have been leading the way in offsite construction. Our key brief was to make a real impact on the public realm by opening up the building to make the streetscape more hospitable. By embracing BIM, we’ve also been able to really prioritise sustainability as part of the design process, and this will pay dividends down the line for the hotel operator. Finsbury Park has an immensely rich heritage and we’re confident this new hotel will anchor further investment, creating future heritage for north London.
“The key to regenerating north London will be taking a district-wide view of what’s needed, particularly as retail habits continue to change. A greater focus on leisure and mixed-use development will be needed, ensuring that genuine communities can evolve and that areas such as this can retain the character that defines them.”
Ronan Farrell, Design Manager at Tide Construction said: “This exciting new hotel will help rejuvenate a busy corner of north London. We’re delighted that Islington council has recognised the benefits of offsite construction and the timeframe for delivering this project will be halved by our ability to build it in Bedford and transport modules to the site from our factory. Architects at tp bennetthave done a fantastic job creating a design that helps breath new life into the streetscape and we are confident this new destination will become part of a vibrant, and fast-expanding neighbourhood.”
