The arrangement of the buildings is shaped by the site’s mature trees, which are retained to form a communal garden at the centre of the development creating a green shared space for residents. Three residential buildings, ranging from five to eight storeys, are composed as a series of robust brick forms whose horizontal expression reflects the scale of the surrounding streets. Continuous red brick banding and carefully crafted detailing draw inspiration from High Street North and the nearby Durham Road Conservation Area, while the replacement gym is distinguished by vertically ribbed brickwork, giving the building a clear identity and marking its prominent corner position.

The three residential blocks have a horizontal expression which is intended to make the proposal feel domestic in its character. The continuous red brick band, articulated by a projecting soldier course of matching brickwork, forms the windowsill and balconies. The brickwork detailing has sought inspiration from the surrounding buildings along High Street North and within the local Durham Road conservation area. The gym has a vertically ribbed brick texture, which visually contrasts the horizontal banding of the residential elements and celebrates it as a non-residential use activating the corner.

Environmental performance is embedded within the architecture through a fabric-first approach that delivers passivhaus certified, durable, comfortable homes with low energy demand, supporting Newham Council’s ambitions for sustainable, affordable housing.

Developed through close collaboration with Newham Council, planning officers, the Design Review Panel, local residents and the wider consultant team, the scheme responds carefully to its physical and social context. Completed in early 2026, Greenhill Centre provides 100% affordable homes alongside a community gym, and marks Haworth Tompkins’ second completed Passivhaus affordable housing project for Newham, continuing a shared commitment to delivering well-designed, low-energy homes for the borough.