19 Apr 2024
Partnering for placemaking: How The Rowe brings out the best of Whitechapel
Think of London, and the United Kingdom’s capital evokes images of bustling streets, vibrant culture and classical, regal architecture.
It is no wonder James Smith is continually inspired by the city as he engages in placemaking efforts. “I’ve lived and worked in London for over 20 years and I’m still discovering beautiful new pockets of the city’s urban landscape,” he said.
The Commercial Director of Frasers Property UK has poured his heart into the development of The Rowe, a 15,000 sqm 12-storey project in London’s Whitechapel district launched in November 2022, and his passion shines through.
He has made steadfast efforts to celebrate the district’s culture and identity in his placemaking initiatives – creating spaces that people connect with and that serve their current and future needs.
“The building sits proudly opposite Whitechapel Gallery, a space that has hosted some of the greats of the art world, and is firmly within a part of east London that has become renowned for its street art,” said James. “We rightly felt the pressure to find and incorporate artworks that not only celebrated its unique history but would also be a welcome addition to the east London art scene.”
As a result, Whitechapel’s heritage was artistically weaved into Frasers Property’s first urban office development in the United Kingdom.
Multi-coloured porcelain enamel panels, which wrap around the sixth-floor terrace, are inspired by the varied textile traditions of the local community. Significantly, it was done by Yinka Ilori, who studied right at the site of The Rowe when it was a university campus before.
“I love the circularity of that connection,” said James, who said Yinka was a delight to work with. “Our individual connections with the building aligned to make the process both fun and successful.”
Loop, The Rowe’s other permanent art installation, greets visitors in the lobby with fluid curls of ribbon-like metallic fabric, and also pays tribute to Whitechapel’s textile and garment history.
Connecting with people
Heritage-inspired art aside, The Rowe also boasts serious green credentials that reflect modern demands. Anchored by climate-conscious principles from plan to build, it runs fully on renewable electricity and produces 26 per cent less carbon emissions than a standard office building.
Marrying the old and the new is clearly a key theme of the project, which was designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM). The award-winning British architectural practice added six floors to the existing six-storey building instead of tearing it down, and retained the original 1960s concrete façade – decisions which reduced carbon emissions for the construction process.
With a public café, retail space and 17,000 square feet of outdoor space – including a landscaped rooftop terrace – users get a dynamic development for both work and play, which James describes as “a truly wonderful place to spend time in and collaborate with colleagues and friends.”
With 20 years of industry experience under his belt, he is adept at connecting with building users and other local stakeholders, and factoring their needs and feedback into a building’s design.
For instance, he roped in local businesses – such as the coffee roaster opening in the building’s reception, Exmouth Coffee – to draw the local community to the building and forge a connection.
“Connecting with occupiers, local enterprises, charities and other local stakeholders is a very rewarding part of my role,” said James, who also looks into leasing strategies and tenant engagement at The Rowe.
The growing importance of placemaking
While the climate crisis demands that the real estate industry continues to seek sustainable solutions, James believes that fostering social inclusion will be increasingly crucial too. “Over the coming years, we will also have to adapt to changing social pressures to ensure that our built environment does not exclude segments of society,” he said.
This is where placemaking plays a vital role. To forge stronger bonds between places and people, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has become a vital approach in design.
These elements can include accessibility features in buildings and collaborations with those from minority groups, all with the goal of helping buildings and their immediate surroundings meet the needs of the diverse community using them.
“We want to ensure we’re creating places that enhance rather than infringe upon an area, and make people proud to have them in their locality,” said James.