181 Talgarth Road

181 Talgarth Road is a purpose-built student accommodation building in Hammersmith, west London. The scheme will deliver 713 rooms, with rent capped by the Mayor of London to provide 50% affordability. The design responds to a dense urban context by generating a massing that aims to create a signature building marker through the expression of the main circulation core. This forms a slender tall post that demarcates the building’s presence along the main road, much like its neighbour, The Ark and its mast, which acts as a landmark in Hammersmith. The building form progressively steps down from its peak at 55m tall, forming green terraces every two bays, with the massing reducing in height by 8.55m as it moves away from the Talgarth Road, reaching the lowest terrace height of approximately 26.5m. The north and south frontages have a pixelated facade made up of transparent, translucent, and solid panels arranged in a dispersed composition, with the intention to break down the scale of the building and also to reduce overlooking the residents. The public realm provides opportunities for public activities that activate the site and surrounding neighbourhood. This is reinforced with the flank walls of the building being angled to create an inviting public pathway to the public square and entrance to the building. The scheme will plant additional trees across the new courtyard and around the public realm to create a more biodiverse and green experience throughout the site. The scheme is designed to meet and exceed planning policy, including through BREEAM Excellent accreditation and being “Air Quality Neutral”.