Actons Lock

H20 is a public/private joint venture vehicle established to regenerate sites alongside the UK’s waterways. Its aim is to develop schemes that maximise land value and create quality working, leisure and living environments. Actons Lock is one of two developments that Dyer has designed for this pioneering client. The stretch of urban waterfront on which the building is set was previously a brownfield plot. It occupies a prime location alongside Regent’s Canal in Hackney, close to the site of the 2012 Olympic Village. Its redevelopment for housing contributes to the wider regeneration of the surrounding Broadway Market area.

In line with Hackney Council’s strategic requirements, the scheme provides housing in a mix of types and sizes. There are 25 flats in total, of which six are affordable and 28% are 4-bedroom family units. The design approach for the development was determined by the site’s narrow and triangular shape. It sought to maximise views along the canal, provide a private courtyard for residents and secure natural surveillance over the towpath opposite. A restaurant at ground floor level promotes an active frontage to the main road, while balconies to the flats provide coveted outdoor space.