Fairbank Estate

Integrated Urban Regeneration

Currently at the planning stage, this project forms part of Hackney Council’s Housing Supply Programme and is being developed in collaboration with Lynch Architects and muf architecture/art. The scheme focuses on creating new residential neighbourhoods between existing 1960s tower blocks and apartment buildings, with the addition of a central public space designed to serve both new and existing residents.

The design reconfigures the previously disconnected 1960s housing blocks, which are isolated by low ground levels and limited access routes. The proposed layout improves site permeability and introduces seamless connections between the community and the newly designed open space.

Outdoor areas include a civic square with a performance stage, a café terrace, mature planting, and large trees. Additional features comprise an orchard, food-growing plots, a children’s playground, and recreational facilities such as table tennis.

The architecture incorporates a low-tech, sustainable blue-green roof system to manage water runoff effectively. At ground level, the landscaping includes permeable paving, rain gardens, and engineered tree pits, supporting both biodiversity and sustainable drainage performance.