Control: King’s Crescent Estate, London

King’s Crescent Estate was originally completed in 1971. Ground-floor garages and long shared balconies with multiple entry points made the site challenging to navigate and keep safe.

Unpopular high-rise tower blocks were demolished in the 1990s, leaving gaps and wasteland and creating a sense of disillusionment and abandonment in the estate community.

The 2017 redevelopment focused on regular community engagement, training and upskilling, with residents involved in site-wide planning of new streets and homes. Karakusevic Carson Architects
led the redesign, which involved the refurbishment of 275 existing homes, the creation of 490 new homes and a new landscape and public realm.

A key success of the project is the social stability and
sustainability achieved through active and regular engagement with the local community.