Vinegar Yard. Drawing by Alan Marten.
The KPF Principal explored the importance of the new life-sciences led, mixed-use development and what it represents for the future of London and beyond, as part of New London Architecture’s “Five Minutes with…” series.
Elie joined NLA editor David Taylor shortly after Vinegar Yard’s approval, for a brief but full conversation. The discussion began with David asking Elie for his initial thoughts on the planning consent and KPF’s general expertise in life sciences. Elie responded, “We’re excited about Vinegar Yard getting approval, but also what it means. Because this is going to be one of the first key pieces of a new emerging innovation district, SC1, within Southwark and Lambeth.”
While explaining the importance of Vinegar Yard as a destination within the emerging innovation district, Elie said, “I think the idea behind innovation districts ought to be twofold. One is that there’s a way of bringing different kinds of people and uses and types of knowledge together that actually creates new kinds of knowledge that wouldn’t otherwise happen. The second thing is also this idea that there’s something about creating a kind of a critical density that can not only encourage more opportunity within a particular sector, whether it’s life science or technology or others, but also that there’s a way to more directly engage community.”
The conversation closed by touching on KPF’s additional work in lab design in London, specifically a 22-storey, science-focused building at Canary Wharf’s North Quay, which will be Europe’s largest commercial lab upon completion.
Read the full conversation between Elie and David here.