Woodberry Wetlands
Heritage and Community
Beneath the high rise towers of Stoke Newington, a sterile Victorian reservoir has been transformed into a dense and thriving home for wildlife.
As part of a wider project overseen by the London Wildlife Trust, Kaner Olette led the conversion of a listed former kitchen and coal store (latterly for dosing of chlorine gas) to a vibrant café and training/education space. The building required new internal layout with multiuse seating space, café, toilets and rooftop terrace; new roof, floor slab, windows and doors.
On the north facade a portland stone frieze commemorating the opening of the reservoirs was restored and the text re-treated to make it readable.
As a result of the works the building has been removed from the Historic England ‘At Risk’ Register
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Completed: 2016
Location: Stoke Newington
Context: Heritage at Risk Register (prior to works); Grade 2 listed; reservoir edgeClient: London Wildlife Trust
Site Owner: Thames Water
Funder: National Heritage Lottery Fund with contributions from Thames Water and Berkeley Homes
Masterplan and Landscape Architect: Allen Scott
Structural Engineer: Conisbee
Services Engineer: QODA
QS: Huntley Cartwright
Specialist Metalwork: Design and Weld
Contractor: Bolt and Heeks
Photography: Andrew Hatfield and Kaner OletteAwards: Hackney Design Award & Peoples Choice Winner 2016
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“Kaner Olette displayed a flexible and proactive approach to the challenging conversion of the listed coal house at Woodberry Wetlands. We are very pleased with the delivered project and the multi-use café has become an important element in our new wildlife reserve and visitor destination in Stoke Newington. We look forward to working with them again in the future.”
David Mooney - Development Manager London Wildlife Trust
“This public realm project is successful on many levels. It provides new public space, makes sense of its location, creates a sense of community ownership and provides an opportunity to appreciate nature. Through the light touch approach, a wonderful open landscape, with its refurbished listed buildings can now be enjoyed within an increasingly dense part of Hackney. The judges applaud the efforts of all involved and consider it an amazing exemplar of its kind: the scheme is redefining how this part of London is imagined.”
Hackney Design Awards Judges Comments. Woodberry Wetlands
