Wickside, London, UK

Wickside is a 3.4-hectare canal-side development on the edge of London’s Olympic Park. It occupies the site of a former refuse yard, and forms part of the ongoing transformation of Hackney Wick and Fish Island. Absorbed into its urban fabric are a number of existing buildings which become anchors to a creative industries cluster at the east of the site.

The project will provide around 500 homes and 300 jobs. Residential typologies include apartments, penthouses, terraced houses, garden studios and detached cottages. Other uses include an art gallery, shops, restaurants, a foundry, creative studios and a brewery.

Michael Grubb Studio worked in collaboration with Ash Sakula Architects to develop a cohesive, yet playful, lighting strategy. The strategy used layers of light, with ambient and architectural lighting working in harmony to add character and improve wayfinding after dark.