Hardess Yard

Located on the edge of Brixton’s Creative Enterprise Zone, Hardess Yard is a co-living development designed to bring together housing, workspace and public amenity within a revitalised urban site. The scheme delivers 320 adaptable studio apartments alongside 1,400 m² of creative workspace for local businesses and makers, creating a new model for living and working in this part of south London.

The project builds on PLP’s wider work in shared living, while responding directly to the specific character of Lambeth and Loughborough Junction. Designed for flexibility, the studios range from 18–33 m² and are supported by a broad mix of shared amenities including communal kitchens, co-working areas, dining rooms, wellness spaces, a library, screening room and rooftop terrace. Together, these spaces create a more social and adaptable residential environment shaped around contemporary city life.

A strong emphasis is placed on the relationship between the new development and the site’s industrial and creative context. The scheme retains and reactivates the historic railway arches, introducing a new pedestrian route through the site that improves permeability, supports existing local businesses and creates a more connected public realm. This approach helps root the project within the wider neighbourhood rather than operating as a self-contained residential block.

Materially, the architecture draws on the industrial character of the area through richly textured brick façades, scalloped lintels and a more robust urban expression. In contrast, the creative workspace introduces metallic finishes, green walls and openable glazed doors, giving the scheme a distinct identity while reflecting the mix of living, making and enterprise that defines the project.

Sustainability is embedded throughout the design, with the project targeting WELL Platinum and BREEAM Outstanding. Through passive design strategies, low-energy systems and circular economy principles, Hardess Yard is designed to support both environmental performance and long-term quality of life.