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The London Mayor, through Transport for London, commissioned Hawkins\Brown to imagine what Heathrow would look like if it were to accommodate new homes and job-creating uses in the event that London’s main airport moved to another location. A brief set out the economic feasibility of 80,000 homes and 90,000 new jobs through a series of economic drivers. Our radical response expands this set of uses. The site is the same size as Kensington and Chelsea (1215 hectares) and is situated on London’s administrative boundaries. Heathrow is currently a massive employment generator but a residential value sink in the immediate area due to congestion and pollution.
The response • UK’s first airship port will utilise the emerging technology and investment in airships as a viable, agile and environmentally efficient means of transportation. Heathrow will leverage the existing infrastructure by continuing as a hub for specialised freight services.
• A Factory for Homes will speed the delivery of new housing in a time of supply shortage. New models of housing development and a diversification of the development industry will be enabled through the digital prefabrication and online customisation.
• The ‘green belt in the green belt’ will be an iconic London park built on the footprint of the old runways. Larger than Hyde Park, this amenity for London acknowledges the site's anomalous location in London's green belt and is stuctured by a rotating programme of productive, remediative and recreational uses.
The project spans 20+ years into the future while stimulating debate on current urban design and planning practice.
Hawkins\Brown is an internationally renowned multi-disciplinary architectural practice made up of over 170 award winning architects, interior designers, urban designers and researchers. Founded in 1988, we bring a wealth of experience, designing and delivering innovative and socially sustainable buildings, across numerous sectors including: education, workplace, residential, infrastructure & transport and civic, community & culture.
At the heart of everything we do are people - whether it is our approach to design or the way we run our studio. We employ talented designers who bring a fresh approach and creativity to every project. Working in collaboration with others, we find solutions to our client's very unique challenges, creating places with personality and purpose that are well made, well used and well loved.
We currently have studios in London, Manchester and Chengdu, China.
