Through utilizing a comprehensively planned mixed-use scheme on the border of Shoreditch and the City of London, architecture studio Foster+Partners, have successfully created a thriving new neighborhood. Pulling out all the stops for its first residential skyscraper, the estate which comprises of 299 luxury apartments, a 15-storey office building expected to host the Amazon London headquarters, and a 50-storey Principal Tower, is surrounded by a shroud of local eateries and bars.

Foster+Partners Construct Their First Residential Skyscraper With Spectacular Views From Every Apartment

Taking the form of three separate volumes, Foster+Partners derive meaning for each component through strategic positioning. Where the tower addresses the residential neighborhood of Shoreditch, it appears lower from ground level, whereas from the west it reflects the high-rise nature of the City, as a central volume rises up between the two to provide an elegant marker on the skyline.

Topped by spectacular penthouses, Foster+Partners’ residential building boasts a multitude of various apartment sizes, ranging anywhere from one-to-two-bedroom complexes. With eight apartments situated on each floor, the building’s square floorplate has been extended in the centre of two sides to create a cruciform plan and most importantly eight corners, each of which curving to form a private balcony. By maximising the perimeter and centralizing the entrance, Foster+Partners have eliminated the need for unnecessary corridors without compromising safety and privacy.

With bedrooms enclosed by solid cladding panels, each apartment is fully glazed and protected by shading fins, the architects aimed to create a calm, understated and contemporary aesthetic that exemplifies the essence of the area and would appeal to a broad range of people. Their focus therefore, revolved around extraordinary views and settings, in order to facilitate seamless transitions.

Measuring 85,000 square-metres of flexible premium office space, its neighbouring building, accommodates a lot more than wealthy business men. Extending into a full-on plaza, the building showcases an interface which not only remains highly adaptive to the surrounding urban environment, but establishes opportunity for connection within the community.

Designed to mirror warehouses of the 21^st century, the innovative office floors span over 100 meters, offering a more interactive and flexible organisational model. Featuring an exciting mix of spaces that operate at different scales, each floor showcases a mix of large open-concept areas to small pockets of space that enhance collaboration and creativity.