Battersea Design and Tech Quarter Framework

Growing a dynamic hub of employment in central London

The Battersea Design & Tech Quarter Framework supports the delivery of a distinct creative and economic cluster, capitalising on existing and incoming institutional assets in the area.

We Made That has created an urban framework for the London Borough of Wandsworth that outlines a new Design & Tech Quarter for Battersea, building upon the existing design community in the area. Considering the scale of change taking place at Nine Elms, the proposed framework presents an opportunity to deliver a distinct creative and economic cluster, which is focused on the interaction between technology and design. It will deliver a total of 230,000 sqm of employment floorspace and an estimated 10,800 jobs.

The new plans capitalise on existing and incoming institutional assets in the area – including the new Apple HQ and the Royal College of Art – with a framework for physical development and placemaking, along with an economic and commercial strategy that sets out a bold vision for this central London industrial area.

Multi-storey mixed-use workspace typologies facing Havelock Terrace

“This has greatly assisted us in defining the exciting potential of this unique and complex part of the Opportunity Area, building on its industrial heritage but adapting to the evolution of the surrounding area.”
Cllr Jonathan Cook, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Skills and Employment, Wandsworth Council

The masterplan framework strives to create a more diverse and resilient economy for Battersea, Wandsworth and South London. This means building on the area’s strengths, addressing gaps in the existing business base and providing opportunities to accommodate sectors currently under-represented in the local economy. Physical space for SMEs, incubators, accelerators is proposed within the masterplan, along with a strategy for delivering affordable workspace. These measures support smaller fledgling enterprises moving into the area, alongside scale-up space to accommodate their future growth.

Illustrative vision for the Battersea Design & Tech Quarter

Building types by floorspace

Hidden in plain sight in a surprisingly central location, this dynamic hub of employment holds enormous potential to grow and support a wide range of businesses.

The masterplan is underpinned by 4 interconnected drivers:

Industry: Delivering creative employment space alongside intensification of industrial uses to establish the Quarter as a place for designing, prototyping, producing and scaling.

Connectivity: Knitting together the new employment areas through a series of improvements to transport and movement, achieving a careful balance between supporting commercial vehicle flows whilst providing better walking and cycling routes.

Public realm: Creating a network of attractive and accessible open spaces that provide valuable amenity for those working in and visiting the Quarter. Open spaces that support employment and industrial uses, including working streets and yards, are provided in parallel to ensure that proposed workspace uses can function successfully.

Hub spaces: Provision of key locations which act as focal points for collaboration and public engagement, serving as a public space for the Quarter and supporting employment uses by providing space for culture, socialising, networking and marketing.

Public realm and connectivity

Project Details

Client
London Borough of Wandsworth
Status

Completed 2020

Awards

New London Awards 2020: Planning (Shortlisted)

Team

Hatch Regeneris, Urban Movement, Graham Harrington Planning Advice, Stockdale