Bow Exchange is a mixed-use scheme designed by Architects pH+ for client City & Suburban Homes, located on the Limehouse Cut Canal in London. The proposals for the site includes the demolition and replacement of the existing 2 to 3 storey industrial warehouse buildings, with a new building ranging from 4 to 9 storeys providing high-quality workspace at ground and mezzanine levels and 92 residential units above.

The scheme has been carefully developed to respond to the varied character of the existing and emerging urban context, referencing the materiality and robustness of the industrial wharfs that line this area of the Limehouse Cut. The scheme has been designed around a series of communal landscaped tiered gardens to provide residents with green links to the canal and shared spaces, integrated with incidental play opportunities, for the community to meet and form and bio diversity to flourish.

Based on an offset grid, and system approach to plan layouts, the building has been designed to optimise the potential uses of modular construction techniques whilst opening views from each dwelling to the waterway. This results in an articulated mews facing active façade of staggered private balconies to supplement the views facilitated by the stepping building form to the south.

Working with BD Landscape Architects, new public spaces are proposed along the canal edge, continuing pedestrian and cycle routes already established by the neighbouring Caspian Wharf which it is hoped will be supplemented and extended as further developments come forwards. A new pedestrian route and public space is proposed to link Yeo Street and the Limehouse Cut, increasing permeability and greater enjoyment of the water way for both the new and existing community.

The design for the proposals at Bow Exchange, 5 Yeo Street are driven by aspirational concepts of letting the land back in, improving the public realm, maximising natural light and creating generous private and communal open space.