Bringing 65-Storey Living To Canary Wharf

This week we talk to Nick Poon, head of projects at Far East Consortium, about bringing his years of expertise abroad to the East London and Canary Wharf, as Aspen at Consort Place is set to become Canary Wharf’s third-tallest residential tower.

Please tell us more about Aspen at Consort Place.

Yes, it is an incredibly exciting project. We hosted the launch of Aspen at Consort Place at the end of January and we were delighted with the level of interest and resulting sales. Attendees at the launch event were really inspired by the scale model of the building and to hear that it offers more than purely residential apartments. With this project, we have gone to great lengths to ensure that we can create a community ethos here. There will not only be exclusive residential facilities such as the Aspen Club (a restaurant, roof terrace and co-working space, private dining room and screening room), but we will also have a children’s play area and education facility, as well as a Dorsett hotel and a multitude of shops and cafes.

The vision for Aspen at Consort Place is to ‘create a truly vibrant destination and inclusive community – where families, individuals and friends can enjoy this eclectic oasis’. How will you achieve this within the development?

We’ve given a lot of thought to the public realm of the development. For example, very early in the planning stages we decided that the original North Pole pub, an icon in this part of London, should form a centrepiece; a landmark that people will know and can arrange to meet. Surrounding the pub will be a green which will be a great place to meet and relax and could be used for things like outdoor film screenings in the summer, alongside cafes and the hotel restaurant. We also worked with our architect, Pilbrow & Partners, to ensure that the buildings face into the landscaped courtyard and enjoy an oasis in the midst of Canary Wharf, so that the space feels welcoming and safe.

Is the desire for people to live in safe, newly built communities something that you have witnessed as a lifestyle trend while working abroad?

I think people have always wanted to feel safe and have a sense of home. This is a universal desire, no matter where in the world that you live. But what does ring true, is that people don’t want to live somewhere that is just active during the working day. People want communities which are dynamic and active during the evenings and weekends, with a variety of people – not just people commuting into work.

Aspen at Consort Place (centre)

You’re bringing a wealth of experience from Hong Kong to East London and Canary Wharf developments; what are the similarities and differences that you've noticed with these very geographically diverse regions?

Funnily enough there are several similarities with Canary Wharf and Hong Kong – both are surrounded by water, in a densely populated part of a world-class city. Both locations are close to large airports so planning and construction of high towers needs to factor in how to manage this.

You worked on the famous International Finance Centre 2 in Hong Kong, a striking landmark on Hong Kong Island featuring 88 storeys. Do you think that building 'up' is the best solution for developing our overcrowded cities around the globe?

It depends on so many factors, it just so happens that I have had a lot of experience of building at height. I think in recent years there has been a lot of innovation in the engineering and design of tall buildings. For example, with Aspen, we’ve worked with the architect to create a building which is distinctive on the skyline, making sure it has a clear identity and sense of place within the other tall buildings in the vicinity. Also, we have created a petal-shape to the curvature of the building to maximise views across the city and the River Thames. As a result, residents at Aspen will be able to enjoy homes full of natural light, breathtaking views and peace and quiet.

What other exciting projects does FEC UK have in the pipeline at the moment?

We have two other great projects– one is the historic Grade II* Hornsey Town Hall – which is being sympathetically restored, in keeping with its iconic status in the Crouch End area of North London which will have a range of new homes, a hotel and an arts centre.

Another exciting project is Meadow Side in Manchester, which will offer 756 new homes and is sited on the edge of one of central Manchester’s only green spaces.

We also have a big commitment in the Tower Hamlets area of London – as earlier this year we announced the acquisition of two sites for redevelopment – one is opposite Aspen at Ensign House on Marsh Wall and the other is in Whitechapel Square – in partnership with J Sainsbury’s. We also made announcements about planning for projects in Victoria Riverside and New Cross Central in Manchester which will support the Northern Gateway initiative.

And finally, the elephant in the room right now is the Coronavirus situation; how is FEC UK being affected by this global pandemic?

Like all businesses, it is a challenging time, but we have a fantastic team who are agile and have adapted to this new situation. All of our office staff are now working remotely, and our sales teams have a suite of sophisticated technology to provide virtual viewings to potential buyers. I’m delighted to say that in the last two weeks we have sold the last remaining penthouse apartment at Hornsey Town Hall, very close to the guide price. We remain focused on driving forward with our developments and committed to building new homes and best in class amenities for the communities in those areas.

Find out more at www.aspen-canarywharf.com.

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