Bow River Village is a site that was previously occupied by an under-utilised former warehouse, storage and light industrial spaces, and is located in the Lower Lea Valley, an area that was at the heart of the London Olympics. The Lower Lea Valley is characterised by large areas of derelict industrial land and poor quality housing. The brief for the site was to create a mixed-use scheme to integrate with the surrounding communities. With the site located in such close proximity to the Olympic Park, the masterplan has been designed to bring forward a comprehensive design solution as part of a larger new urban quarter, strengthening the identity of the River Lea corridor and contributing to the regeneration of East London and 2012 Olympic Games Legacy. PROJECT DELIVERY - A masterplan, devised through community planning, with the opportunity for the rediscovery of the river edge with the creation of a mixed-use / mixed tenure environment. - 741 residential units on a phased basis. - Mixed uses across the site including commercial spaces and the creation of new jobs for the local community. - Significant upgrading of a popular canal towpath. - New buildings respond to the site’s partial location and have been designed with a warehouse aesthetic to reflect the area’s industrial heritage. - A hierarchical strategy to provide a sequence of open spaces, a network of informal ‘play on the way’ opportunities and an enhanced river walk to be enjoyed by the wider public. - Contribution towards East London’s new housing provision, which is targeted at making up over 40% of London’s provision through to 2016.