Kodak Factory

The site forms a key phase of the Harrow View East masterplan, a designated Opportunity Area on the historic grounds of Kodak’s pioneering 1891 manufacturing facility. Our brief was to design four distinct plots, improving the supply of much-needed housing following a previous consent for 501 homes, with a focus on sustainable living and accessible public space.

We adopted a streets-first approach to the design, treating the public realm as the fundamental organising element. The layout weaves together four distinct blocks through a pedestrian-friendly network of garden streets and cycle routes. To moderate scale and urban grain within such a large development, we developed three distinct building typologies: six-storey shoulder buildings provide an intimate, warehouse-inspired scale along quiet residential streets; mediating mid-rise buildings transition the boundaries with neighbouring phases; while taller blocks of up to 16 storeys serve as landmarks. These taller buildings are positioned strategically to frame a central green link running directly through the heart of the neighbourhood.

Considerable thought was given to the street environment where buildings meet the ground: creating open and generous building faces designed to encourage natural activity and social interaction. Residential buildings feature active ground floors with front doors opening directly onto planted, liveable streets. All plots feature either landscaped private courtyards or podiums above secure, accessible parking. The buildings have a public agenda: they are anchored by a 1,350-square-metre health centre positioned along the main arterial road, establishing a clear civic presence, alongside flexible commercial shopfronts and dedicated residential amenities distributed to activate key routes and intersections.

The development targets net-zero carbon operation through a robust energy hierarchy. Passive design measures include an enhanced building fabric and optimised glazing ratios to prevent overheating, ensuring comfortable, high-quality homes. Active systems feature a site-wide communal heating network powered by air source heat pumps, supplemented by photovoltaic arrays positioned across the green roofs. To support sustainable transport and active travel, the scheme adopts a highly restricted parking ratio in favour of extensive cycle storage and pedestrian prioritisation.

Visitors approach the neighbourhood via the central Green Link, a linear park orientated towards a retained historic factory chimney. This primary route is intersected by intimate garden streets inspired by the area’s historic Metroland suburbs. The external material palette directly references the site’s rich industrial heritage, utilising varied London stock brickwork and robust detailing to distinguish each plot. The architecture and public realm are sprinkled with playful sparks of joy that celebrate the site’s legacy of image-making. Stack-bond brickwork mimics film perforations, while the vertical framing of the tallest buildings acts as a camera body metaphor. Accent colours highlight welcoming, chamfered corner entrances, complemented by tactile public sculptures referencing camera shutters.

By transforming a formerly closed industrial site into a welcoming, landscape-led district, the project delivers much-needed, characterful homes and vital civic infrastructure. The development secures a vibrant future for this historic gateway, enriching the public realm and championing the wellbeing of the local community.