Student Accommodation, Ealing Flats, London Building, Architect, Image

The Collective Old Oak

University Building in Ealing, west London, England – design by PLP Architecture

25 Feb 2014

Student Accommodation in Ealing

Design: PLP Architecture

Location: Old Oak Lane, Willesden Junction, NW10 6EJ, London, England, UK

The Collective Old Oak designed by PLP Architecture has received planning approval four months following the studio’s appointment by The Collective to redevelop a derelict 1970s office building to create student and mixed-use accommodation for the local community at Old Oak Lane in Ealing.

The new 15,897sqm building will integrate 323 student rooms and office / incubator facility supporting the next generation of young entrepreneurs, retail and community spaces vital to the ‘Collective Community’. In this way, the scheme is reflective of the philosophy of The Collective, the property and management company which specialises in delivering and managing high-quality student or shared living accommodation across central London.

The project, which represents The Collective’s first new-build project, is set to become an important new landmark in Ealing contributing to the public realm, providing an engaging street frontage onto Old Oak Lane and addressing the transition to the Grand Union Canal. The landscaped public spaces, designed with Turkington Martin, are intended to unify and enrich the setting of the new building.

The student accommodation will benefit from large amenity spaces, including lounge, library, bar, gym, spa and private event spaces and roof terraces.

The site benefits from excellent public transport links which mark it as a prime location for students commuting to inner London universities, as well as serving the science and educational institutions expanding into west London. Furthermore, The Collective Old Oak will enjoy links to nearby parkland and wider regeneration opportunities instigated by proposals for a new High Speed 2 and Crossrail station by 2026 that would make Old Oak Common one of the best connected stations in the UK.

The project implements the key parameters of the consented illustrative scheme by Tate Hindle in 2011, and evolves the design to enhance the civic functions and private and public amenity spaces.

The construction of The Collective Old Oak, commencing later this month, will pioneer a new modular method with fully pre-fabricated modules, including interior fit-out, in partnership with Mace Group and WSP Group.

Lee Polisano at PLP Architecture commented: “The PLP team is delighted to work with The Collective to combine student accommodation, comparable to serviced apartments or a long-stay hotel, with local amenities which never existed before in this strategic and prominent position along Old Oak Lane and the Grand Union canal. We are building upon the attributes of the site with the aim of improving the gateway site into the East Acton Ward and injecting new life into the area as well.”

Student Accommodation at Old Oak Lane, Ealing image / information from PLP Architecture

PLP Architecture

Location: Old Oak Lane, Ealing, London, England, UK