Hackney Apartments & Office

Satish Jassal Architects secured planning permission via committee for a backland development within the Clissold Park Conservation Area in Hackney, delivering three apartments and a flexible office space on a highly constrained site.

The site, previously occupied by an industrial metal workshop, has been reimagined as a high-quality residential development that enhances the surrounding urban fabric. Located adjacent to a Grade II listed Georgian terrace and warehouse buildings, the scheme required a sensitive and considered response to its historic context.

The design draws on the local vernacular, both the listed terrace and warehouse buldings —interpreting traditional proportions, materiality and fenestration rhythms in a contemporary way to create a building that is both contextual and distinct. Particular attention has been given to scale, massing and detailing to ensure the development sits comfortably alongside the listed terrace while respecting the wider conservation area.

Despite the constraints of a tight backland plot, the proposal successfully balances heritage considerations with contemporary living requirements. The result is a building that integrates seamlessly into its setting, reinforcing the character of the place rather than competing with it.

This project demonstrates how carefully designed backland development can unlock constrained urban sites, delivering high-quality homes while respecting and enhancing heritage context.