Balfron Tower

Strategy Ernö Goldfinger’s 27-storey Balfron Tower in east London had fallen into disrepair and out of favour. But times have changed. It is now Grade II* Listed, and there’s a renewed appreciation of Brutalist buildings like this one. Guided by Goldfinger’s original vision, we’ve worked with developers London and Newcastle, Telford Homes, with Historic England and with the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to bring the tower into the twenty-first century. Our approach has been one of ‘constructive conservation’ and of respect for the Brutalist aesthetics. Specificity Landscape and the sense of arrival had degraded over time and needed to be readdressed. The concrete is now set off by rich and wildlife-friendly gardens which reconnect the tower with the surrounding streets and with the A12 that passes close by. As you approach the tower, a beam of light shepherds you safely across the drawbridge, towards the entrance and into the building. To make the entrance lobby a more inviting space, we’ve reconfigured the core, lifts and refuse chutes. This freed up space within the service tower to provide, in a more modern form, the community facilities that Goldfinger once envisaged and to add others. Residents now have access to a cinema room, table-tennis room, yoga room, dining room, library, workshop and gym. They also have access to the roof to grow vegetables and fruit, and to make the most of the impressive views. Every part of the fabric of the building has been brought up to modern standards – for fire prevention, acoustics, waterproofing and thermal insulation – through careful restoration and sympathetic replacement. One of each of the original flat typologies has been reinstated to Goldfinger’s original layout, preserving his original vision for future generations. And, alongside Ab Rogers Design, we’ve re-thought the layout and design of the rest of the internal spaces, both private and communal. Walls have come down to suit the way we live now, and the apartments has been brought fully up to date. Sustainability Our work on Balfron Tower has been an exercise in making the most of the embodied energy of the existing materials and respecting Goldfinger’s legacy. We’ve worked with, not against, what’s already here. This significantly reduces the building’s carbon footprint and will ensure it performs well in the long term. We’ve given residents a more sustainable way of living – in greener, healthier surroundings. But upgrading the tower and rethinking the way it connects with its surroundings isn’t just about embodied energy and running costs. The knock-on effects are social, economic and environmental. By prioritising community spaces and encouraging chance meetings and organised events, we’ve given people reasons to come together and reasons to get to know one another.