Carriages, Purley

Carriages is a development of 28 one and two bedroom apartments in the centre of Purley. The building is refurbished from the former office use for local people to downsize in retirement. The ‘ballast garden’ at the Brighton Road frontage takes inspiration from the Grand Surrey Iron Railway, which passed through this site. It was a horse drawn freight railway used to transport building materials to London, before the advent of the main railways in the 1850s. The planting design makes reference to self seeded ruderal species, spread along the track bed, emerging from the pebble and gravel mulch. The social life of the community comes together on the top floor lounge and communal roof terraces. These have views over the town and are planted with olive, lavender and many herbs.

Client

PegasusLife

Date

2015 - 2017

Team

Woods Bagot, architect / Arup, structural engineer / Acre, landscape subcontractor