London's Lost Village
London Festival of Architecture
As part of the London Festival of Architecture 2017, Archiboo in association with Ballymore and key collaborators hosted an evening event at Goodluck Hope, 'London's Lost Village'.
The area has had an almost continuous link with shipping with records of ships being unloaded here as early as 1297 but the construction of the docks cut the area off from the rest of Poplar. Until Ballymore built the footbridge over Bow Creek there was only one way in and out, which led to the area being known as London’s “lost village”.
In the early 19th century, Goodluck Hope became part of the East India Docks through which the East India Company, founded in 1600, imported tea, spices, indigo, silk and Persian carpets.
It’s the lingering memory of these exotic goods from India and China that provided the inspiration for the marketing suite, designed by Hal Currey of HAL Architects.
“By retaining the industrial shed, the arrival via Orchard Place is much as it’s been for the past fifty years. That said, the eagle eyed may spot palm trees poking through the roof of the shed as they make their way south through City Island”, says Currey.
The palm grove is a reference to the giant palms used by the East India Company to help sailors navigate, ending in a dramatic panoramic view of the Thames.
Key collaborators include, Ballymore, Archiboo, Huw Morgan and Joe Partridge.