The high-qualitymixed-use design of the West End Gate development sets a series of mansion blocks around a new garden square, with a tall residential element articulating the transition between commercial development at Paddington Basin with the more residential scale of Paddington Green and Little Venice to the west. 

The scheme provides a total of 128 Intermediate and Social Rented apartments across four of the mansion blocks, which comprise a stone and brick ground floor base with textured red bricks for the upper storeys. Vertically proportioned windows are consistent with the local building typology and are framed in stone. At the upper levels a series of Juliet balconies and terraces provide good amenity space for residents.

Brick and masonry is essential to the architecture of Garrett Mansions. Giving it a clear sense of order, with a distinctly expressed base (with tall ground floor and first floor under a stone string course), a main part of the building, and four upper floors defined by stone string courses and set back from the columns around the building, forming a distinct top to the building. The regular columns around the elevations would provide the building with a distinct vertical emphasis that would enhance the appearance of its proportions. The recessed balconies provide depth and articulation to the facades.

In regards to the craftsmanship, the Michelmersh Hampshire brick is set to a consistently high quality with the lime mortar. Whilst traditional lime mortar is rarely used in large scale modern facades and Lee Marley (LMB) worked closely with our structural engineer to provide our client with a structural design guide for the use of lime mortar against Metsec/SFS and minimising the requirements for obtrusive movement joints. LMB also worked closely with Berkeley homes and the NHBC to remove any flammable elements from the cavity creating an innovative masonry rain-screen façade.

LMB installed the natural stone plinths as well as the GRC string courses and reveals as part of an integrated masonry package. This required extensive coordination both in construction (i.e. setting out) but also in procurement. . The main facades were laid in English Bond, with recessed courses at intervals, whilst the flanks were in stretcher bond. The constrained urban site also provided logistical challenges for LMB’s team.