Insight

Learning from our local neighbourhoods
During these cold, dark winter months of lockdown 3, we all have yearnings for sunnier times involving travel and adventures. It seems all too easy to take our local neighborhoods for granted however, so we have been out and about searching for inspiration on our doorsteps – we weren’t disappointed.

London's New Voices: Laying the Foundations
Check out Luke Tozer, Director of Pitman Tozer and Laura Baron, Associate, talking with Adam Roberts, Senior Regeneration Manager at Peabody, in the latest lockdown film by Peabody telling the story of Thamesmead regeneration and The Reach.

Rail-side homes: the challenges and potential
Large tracks of land next to railways remain under-developed but full of potential. Unlocking these sites has the opportunity to create many thousands of new homes and help ease the housing crisis. So, how do we address the main development challenges involved to create enduring places of value and well-lit, peaceful homes that residents enjoy?

National Apprenticeship Week 2021
To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, we take a look at the benefits of apprenticeships as an alternative, but complementary, route to architectural education and qualification, combining practical experience in an architectural practice with academic training from a university.
We spoke to our project architect Gemma, who undertook her Part 2 RIBA Office Based Examination (OBE) at Oxford Brookes (now known as RIBA Studio), and our associate Laura who heads up the studio’s recruitment programme, to discuss the benefits and challenges of apprenticeships.

Future Development Plans – Brent; Sponsored by Pitman Tozer Architects
Join Luke Tozer, director of Pitman Tozer, as well as Helen Evans, Chief Executive of Network Homes, Damien Sharkey, Managing Director for Hub, Fareen Lalani, Development Director for Quintain and Alice Lester, Operational Director for Brent Regenation, Growth and Employment in a webinar that will focus on the development activity in Brent as the council look to drive investment, regeneration and inclusive growth.

Vertical Living
Gap House has been featured in the newly published book Vertical Living: compact architecture for urban spaces, by Gestalte. The book is an introduction to the architecture and interior masterminds using skillful, clever design to conquer compact living wherever there is space. As we continue to expect more from our flats and houses, unexpected approaches are necessary for the future of our urban spaces.

TVOA Webinar: Railside homes – the challenges and potential in four case studies
Join Luke Tozer, director of Pitman Tozer, as well as Jonathan Cornelius, head of property development, Transport for London, Councillor Shama Tatler, cabinet member for regeneration, property and planning, Brent and Councillor Martin Whelton, cabinet member for housing, regeneration, and the climate emergency, Merton Council in a webinar to hear four case studies of rail-side development and understand the potential of this frontier to support housing targets.

Planning for the Future
The White Paper, Planning for the Future, was published on 9 August 2020 and promises a new planning system that is easier for the public to access, transforms the way communities are shaped and builds the homes the country needs.
We took part on the recent consultation process which ended on 29 October 2020 and we would like to share some of our thoughts on the proposals

NLA Zero Carbon London
We are thrilled to have our project with Be First in Gascoigne East feature in the NLA Zero Carbon London report, taking a look at how London is addressing the climate emergency.

Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2020
Monier Road, as part of Fish Island Village, has won Best Large Development and Grand Prix at Evening Standard New Homes Awards. Working alongside Haworth Tompkins and Lyndon Goode Architects for Peabody and Hill, the development provides 580 new homes and affordabl workspace.

Coping through Covid
It’s been a challenging year so far, with many of us having to embrace an entirely new way of working and communicating with one another. We have been reflecting on how we have been able to get through these difficult times as a team.

Pitman Tozer wins permission for ‘net zero’ estate regen
Pitman Tozer’s plans for the 226-home third phase of the Gascoigne Estate regeneration scheme have been approved by Barking and Dagenham council.

New London Awards
The Reach is shortlisted for New London Awards in the Housing category as well as selected for Environmental Prize, which recognises the most sustianable porjects in London.

British Home Awards
Monier Road is shortlisted for British Home Awards in the Mixed-Use Development of the Year Category.

British Home Awards
The Reach is shortlisted for British Home Awards in the Housing Crisis Solution Category

Unlocking Challenging Sites
Architecture Today and Schueco present Unlocking Challenging Sites Webinar.
Join Luke Tozer, co-founding director of Pitman Tozer Architects as well as Chloe Phelps, head of design at Croydon Council's property development company Brick by Brick and Frederic Paulus Akuffo, managing director at Autor Architecture to discuss the challenge of unlocking potential on difficult sites.

100 Day Studio Architecture Foundation
Emerging East London
Pitman Tozer Architects is hosting a talk on behalf of the @architecturefoundation 100 days studio programme of events, Day 17.
A virtual tour of 3 East London housing projects, one built and two on the drawing board, developing ideas of housing and place making as London grows Eastwards.

Croydon plans to ramp up infill housing with 374 homes over 24 sites
Pitman Tozer recently submitted Kempsfield House, a 19 home scheme for Brick By Brick to planning!
Sitting on a tricky sloped site in a quiet suburb of Croydon, we undertook extensive public consultation with residents and the neighbouring church to ensure a contemporary yet contextual approach.
To see more about various infill sites throughout Croydon (including Kempsfield) check out the recent article on Architecture Journal as well as Housing Design and Building Design articles.

The Reach, Thamesmead review – from sink estate to Thames des res’
The Observer: The New Review
Article by Rowan Moore analysing Peabody’s regeneration plans for the Thamesmead area of south-east London, with The Reach signalling the first of Peabody’s ambitious plans.

Within Reach: Pitman Tozer completes Thamesmead housing scheme
The Architects’ Journal
Article by Rob Wilson on our third Peabody housing scheme for Peabody. On a challenging site, The Reach, a low rise scheme with Gallery access is the first new housing in the London Mayor’s Plumstead and West Thamesmead Housing Zone

At Home with Blueprint: Fish Island Village
With phases one and two complete, this article by Veronica Simpson looks at the completed projects by Haworth Tompkins, Lyndon Goode and Pitman Tozer and where the area is headed.

Gingerbread City at Somerset House
Pitman Tozer have once again been baking our plot for the annual gingerbread built environment event. This year the exhibition will be at Somerset House. Open to all...

Architecture Foundation Tour
Join Pitman Tozer and clients Peabody for a tour of our newly completed housing scheme The Reach and surrounding area in Thamesmead.

Mae, Pitman Tozer and AOC team up for custom-build housing scheme
Article on Basildon council unanimously approving the development, with Unboxed Homes having secured initial planning permission for the Pound Lane custom-build scheme in Laindon, Essex.

Architects and developer deliver custom-build housing scheme
Article on scheme developed by architects AOC, Mae and Pitman Tozer and self-build specialist Unboxed Homes, the 1.2-hectare site will feature three, four, and five-bedroom family homes.

Pitman Tozer Study Trip to France
A night in Lyon and a day exploring Le Corbusier's architecture, we rounded off the day with an overnight stay at Le Corbusier's Sainte Marie de La Tourette convent.

AJ Awards
Monier Road was shortlisted in 2 categories, Housing Projects 10 million and over & the masterplan category as part of the Fish Island Retrospective Masterplan.

Catch of the Day
Fish Island Village makes the AJ cover story for this issue with building studies of Monier Road and neighbouring schemes by Haworth Tompkins and Lyndon Goode.

Public Housing: A London Renaissance
This exhibition looks at how for the first time in decades London boroughs are building new homes, seeking to respond to the housing crisis.
Our schemes included in the exhibition: Plaistow Hub, Brick by Brick schemes and Gascoigne East Estate Regeneration.

Legacy just keeps on running
Article by Lee Mallett on the 2012 Olympic Legacy and creation of new neighbourhoods around the Park including Fish Island Village, including comments from a Monier Road home owner.

Cities are louder than ever – and it's the poor who suffer most
‘But advances in architecture and sound engineering could offer solutions...’ Mint Street is included as an example of how a site considered too noisy for living was successfully transformed.

Collaborate to Create
Luke Tozer will be speaking alongside Colm Lacey and Chloe Phelps of Brick by Brick and Sally Lewis of Stitch looking at the practical realities of delivering a programme of 50% affordable housing for Brick by Brick in Croydon.

NLA Tall Buildings Survey & Exhibition
Wandle Road has been selected for inclusion in the annual survey will be accompanied by a showcase of recently completed and proposed tall buildings in London with an exhibition in the NLA Gallery and a series of events

The vast majority of architects can't bid for public work: something has to change
Article by Tarek Merlin on the UK's public procurement system and exclusion of small practices, with our appointment for Mint Street by Peabody mentioned as a small practice success story.

Hiding in plain sight: How London street signs reveal more than just names
Graphic designer Alistair Hall uses Instagram as a platform to highlight the city's significant nameplates.

Pitman Tozer’s ‘landmark’ tower leads new wave of Croydon approvals
Article by Ella Jessel on the recent approval of our 25-storey tower on Wandle Road Car Park in central Croydon for Brick by Brick. 6 other Croydon projects were also handed permission.

Suburban Identities
‘The suburbs, and Croydon, in particular present a real opportunity to tackle the city's acute housing shortage by carefully managing the densification of these places in a way that is true to their character and affordability, whilst making them more diverse and vibrant places to live and work.’ Our Homefield House was exhibited as part of this public exhibition exploring Brick by Brick's smaller sites programme.

Pitman Tozer in consortium led by HTA Design selected for Gascoigne East Estate remasterplan
We are delighted to be part of the winning consortium led by HTA Design, and including Stitch to deliver phase 3 of the ongoing redevelopment of the 1960s Gascoigne East estate in Barking, east London. The competition was organised by Barking and Dagenham Council's regeneration arm, Be First.

Pitman Tozer wins planning for ‘jewel-like’ Kensington mews house
The new-build house replaces a 1960s end-of-terrace mews house. The new house is characterised by bronze paneling, frameless glazing and fastidious detailing which results in jewel-like book end to the terrace.

100 Houses 100 Years book
This book including Gap House showcases 100 houses – one from each year from 1914 – that represent the range of architectural styles throughout the years and show how housing has adapted to suit urban life.

'The Modern Timber House in the UK, New Paradigms and Technologies' by Peter Wilson
Lateral House features in The Moder Timber House book by Peter Wilson, highlighting the many facets of timber technology being applied in construction and the ways in which these have impacted upon the design of housing.

Creative councils are building homes again
Article by Lee Mallet on how sixteen out of London’s 33 boroughs are funding development and building homes, tackling housing shortages and generating income including Croydon Brick by Brick including an image of Homefield House.

Why are councils setting up private companies to build homes?
Article investigating what the boom in council-owned housing developers will mean for architects, including mention of Newham’s Red Door Ventures and Croydon’s Brick by Brick both of which Pitman Tozer are working with.

Peabody Exhibition
This event at RIBA showcased Peabody developments including our Monier Road and The Reach. A short film was made by Peabody for the event including an interview with Pitman Tozer.

How to exploit the gap in the housing market
Our Gap House project features in Robin Ash’s piece on the UK housing market and building on city-centre plots.

Building Better: Sustainable Architecture for Family Homes
Gap House features in this visual showcase of outstanding environmentally friendly houses, including technical data for each featured project.

Domestic adaptations and extensions
Lateral House features in Architecture Today’s publication on domestic designs.

Victorian terrace becomes ultra-stylish family home
Philippa Stockley meets the owners of our Lateral House project in West London.