A scheme submitted by A-EM Studio Ltd and Audley English Associates has won the competition for a mixed tenure housing development on the site of the Eltham Baths, London, SE9.
The competition, organised on behalf of Ujima Housing Association Ltd., attracted forty-nine Expressions of Interest at the first stage. The other architect-led teams who submitted design propoosals to the second stage of the competition were:
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Jestico + Whiles + Associates Ltd
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Walter Menteth Architects
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PCKO Architects
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Anne Thorne Architects Partnership
The jury panel consisted of representatives from Ujima together with Teresa Borsuk (Director, Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects) acting as the RIBA Advisor to the competition. The panel was impressed by the variety of approaches adopted to meet the challenges posed by the former swimming pool site and its urban context. The jury panel felt that the A-EM / A-EA team had submitted an exciting, innovative scheme that would help Ujima create an architectural sense of place, with enhanced use of the public realm, whilst maximising the social capital and development potential of the site.
Malcolm Gardner (Development Consultant, Ujima Housing Association) commented:
"I am really excited by the winning scheme, which I look forward to developing with the A-EM / AEA team and the Local Authority. The retention of the scheme's key elements will be critical to its successful implementation as the scheme progresses."