Wandsworth Business Village
- Client: Workspace
- Contacts: Guy Harris, Charles Graham
This project delivers nearly 300 homes as well as 10,000 sqm of commercial space, with placemaking at its heart, seeking to improve public spaces by connecting neighbourhoods as a catalyst for change.
This scheme is part of the Harwick Quarter’s regeneration, an historic area at the southside of Wandsworth Town Centre, which cumulatively has delivered significant levels of new housing and workspace, new public realm and improved connectivity.
The London Borough of Wandsworth developed a master plan to re-establish the connection between King George’s Park and the Wandsworth town centre, highlighting primary and secondary routes through the area. The plan also explored expanding the public realm, intensifying land use, and creating a new mixed-use area. This spatial strategy was pivotal for Wandsworth in shaping the area’s development. A critical component in this plan was the Wandsworth Business Village site, which was a significant land block that obstructed several key links.
Workspace commissioned Rolfe Judd to create a place that incorporated these links, aligning with the LB Wandsworth Unitary Development Plan. The site, located on the south side of Wandsworth town centre, was formerly an incandescent mantle factory and later a mixed-use business centre providing affordable business studio space. However, essential links were missing.
The brief called for a new mixed-use scheme, including residential accommodation, commercial space, and small retail units to enliven the new development and surrounding area. This approach met the brief’s requirements and the council’s objective of integrating the site into the wider area.
The development achieved a significant transformation by establishing real public connections. The principal link from King George’s Park runs through the development to the town centre and a secondary link to West Hill School. These busy and active public links feature fully occupied commercial spaces, adding vibrancy to the area. The residential strategy further activates various locations throughout the development, with the Filament being particularly lively off the main square. The site’s edges on Broomhill Road and Buckhold Road provide access to residents and include occupied ground-level apartments.
