Nine Elms Gateway

A Uniquely Engineered Movable Structure to Create Landmark Gateways in Nine Elms

Location: London
Architect: Projects Office
Budget: £250k
On-Site

Renders: Projects Office

This multi-phase project has been instrumental in connecting local communities to the newly constructed Nine Elms underground station through the creation of a new link via "Arch 42". The project features a new totem and hoarding on the north approach to guide pedestrians and cyclists through the link, while the main element of the scheme, a new archway on the south side, has been constructed to separate people from the semi-industrial surroundings and draw attention to its location.

Designed to meet the strict access and maintenance requirements of Network Rail's railway viaduct infrastructure above, the archway is fully moveable, allowing for bi-annual inspections by rolling it forward and re-anchoring it safely. For more intensive maintenance, it can be rolled down the street and parked out of the way.

The design of the archway pays homage to Nine Elms' railway heritage through the use of traditional railway station "daggerboards" reimagined with a modern twist. Working with school children, Projects Office has developed a new design language for the structures using simple paper-cutting techniques. Participants have created their own beautiful repeat patterns, which will be applied to the intricately cut façades of the archway and totem, creating a unique and visually striking feature for the local community.

“We like working with B&Co, because they share in our passion for positive people focussed architecture. There’s plenty of open and constructive dialogue during the design process, and the outcomes are always well considered and often surprising.

Here we worked together the develop the scheme through all design stages, including a tricky redesign halfway through that saw the structure become mobile. We’ve also collaborated on competition entries where B&Co have been with us from the very start, collaborating on the key concepts where the drivers for both the architecture and structural design are conceived as one from the outset”

James Christian, Director and Co-Founder, Projects Office