London,
13
July
2016
|
11:52
Europe/London

Camden’s future home for the homeless among TWELVE Camden awards

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A centre that will provide accommodation for over fifty homeless people designed following a commission from Camden Council has scooped the top award at the New London Architecture awards.

Holmes Road Studios, due to open in the next few months in Kentish Town, has been modernised by Peter Barber Architects and was commissioned as part of Camden Council’s Community Investment programme.

The building’s design was judged as being conducive to giving its future occupants a real sense of belonging, empowerment and self-worth to enable them to find their feet

It is just one of twelve public projects in Camden to win awards, four of which were directly commissioned by Camden Council.

These include Camden Active Spaces, a partnership project involving seven schools and the ideas of schoolchildren to create physically challenging adventure playgrounds to tackle obesity; and Mount Pleasant, which also provides accommodation for homeless people.

Camden Council’s other project to be recognised was the ongoing transformation of King's Cross, Farringdon, Holborn and Seven Dials, which set out a long-term vision for improving public areas that are prepared for new infrastructure including Crossrail.

Councillor Pat Callaghan, Cabinet Member for Housing at Camden Council, said: “London faces a housing crisis and the new Housing and Planning Act will make it increasingly difficult to provide genuinely affordable homes in the capital. We’re determined that no-one gets left behind in Camden and that everyone has a chance to succeed. I’m delighted that Holmes Road’s design has been recognised as a place which can help some of our most vulnerable residents to feel safe and more confident regarding their housing situation.”

Councillor Phil Jones, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Transport and Planning at Camden Council, said: “It’s clear to all that some very highly respected planning work is being done in Camden, particularly in the fantastic new King’s Cross development. No other part of London has come close to Camden at these awards, which is testament to many years of hard work and high ambition from council members, officers and the professionals who work with us.”

More information about the awards can be found on the New London Architecture website.