Carillion Igloo Genesis Consortium to Build Floating Village in London

The Carillion Igloo Genesis consortium has won the competition to design and build Britain’s first floating village at London’s Royal Docks.

The team, also including architects dRMM and engineers Buro Happold, will transform 15 acres of water at the Royal Victoria Dock site into a community with floating homes, restaurants, shops, leisure and office space, cafes and bars.

The 100 percent floating village will include 50 residential homes, and a blue water square, framed by a market square and a floating corniche.

The team will use a custom-build approach for each home, allowing prospective occupiers to be part of the design process.

Carillion Igloo Genesis Director, Chris Brown, said: “Living in a floating home you've helped to design is a dream lots of us have. By combining the floating home experience of our Dutch collaborators with our custom built business we hope to make these dreams come true in Royal Victoria Dock for a few lucky Londoners.

“East London's place on the tourist trail is growing fast. It's about to be joined by Europe’s largest floating village, with floating markets, creative workspace, events and water sports.”

The project follows similar successful schemes at ljburg on the outskirts of Amsterdam and Hafen City in Hamburg, and will use the same concrete foundations as the former.

Walkways, residential and non-residential units will be anchored in place using a series of piles located within the dock and connected to the dock by bridges.

Construction of the homes including their bases will be carried out off-site, before they are transported by water to the site.

London Mayor Boris Johnson said: “This site has the potential to become one of the most sought after addresses in the capital while breathing new life back into London’s waterways.

“Carillion Igloo Genesis’ scheme will create a unique mixed use development providing a range of commercial activities within a high quality water environment for Londoners and visitors, creating jobs and raising the profile of London’s Royal Docks.”

dRMM sought to create “a floating part of London” as opposed to an isolated village creating an attractive destination as well as a socially sustainable community that can accommodate future change and growth.

A planning application will be submitted to Newham Council in Spring 2015.