London construction company Tide has recently completed the record-breaking College Road site, which now stands as the tallest volumetric modular building in Europe, soaring to an impressive height of 163 meters. This achievement unseats the previous record-holder, the nearby Ten Degrees, another Tide development, which, at 135 meters tall, was completed in 2020.
Situated in close proximity to the East Croydon train station in South London, this remarkable development comprises two distinct buildings: a 50-storey build-to-rent (BTR) structure housing a total of 817 one-bedroom and studio apartments, and a 35-storey building that provides 120 affordable housing units.
The design of College Road was a collaborative effort between Tide and Vision Modular System’s in-house design teams, working in tandem with the architects from HTA Design. This towering marvel is operating under the name ‘Enclave: Croydon.’ It offers an assortment of studio and one-bedroom apartments, available on an all-inclusive basis with flexible lease options.
Notably, the construction of this imposing modular edifice was accomplished two months ahead of schedule. College Road stands out as the largest co-living asset class scheme ever sanctioned by the Greater London Authority.
Host of amenities
It boasts an array of BTR amenities spanning seven floors. These include dedicated spaces for entertainment and well-being, a podcast studio, a multifaith area, a spa complete with a steam room and sauna, a top-notch gym, show kitchens, co-working spaces, conference rooms, and, crowning it all, a Sky Garden on the 50th floor. With all of these innovative, contemporary features and amenities, it’s expected that the units will be some of the most sought-after one-bedroom and studio apartments Croydon has on offer.
Tide executed this groundbreaking project in close collaboration with its sister company and volumetric manufacturer, Vision. Their innovative offsite approach led to a remarkable outcome: a staggering 73% of the entire development’s floor plate was installed within only 32% of the originally planned timeframe. This played a crucial role in achieving the ambitious 28-month schedule on the relatively confined 2000m2 site.
Affordable homes
The 35-storey sister tower adjacent to it contains 120 apartments of varying sizes, from one-bedroom to three-bedroom units, spanning 51-85m2. It also features community spaces across two floors and a rooftop terrace on the 35th level.
The affordable homes in this development will be offered on a Discount Market Rent (DMR) basis, benefiting from the Vision Volumetric system’s exceptional acoustic insulation, which shields them from the bustling urban environment.
Simon Bayliss, the managing partner at HTA Design, expressed his thoughts on this pioneering project, saying, “College Road is the result of extensive research into successful models for high-density shared living and is the first project to be approved under the GLA’s Co-Living policy. The design takes inspiration from Croydon’s mid-century heritage, including Richard Seifert’s iconic NLA building, while also harmonizing with the neighboring Ten Degrees, another HTA, Tide, and Vision collaboration, which utilized a volumetric system for faster, more sustainable, and higher-quality construction.”
