The Norton Folgate site, comprising three urban blocks, sits within the Elder Street Conservation Area in a prominent position within the ‘City Fringe’ between the City of London and Shoreditch. While the conservation area is small, there are dramatic changes in character from one street to the next. The masterplan was developed to respond to this mixed character, bringing vacant or under-used buildings back into use and reconnecting and enhancing the public realm. Rather than applying a blanket strategy, the masterplan employs a building-by-building approach to the retained buildings, using restoration, refurbishment, extension, remodelling and façade retention to breathe new life into the architecture. Sensitively designed new buildings have been introduced in a palette of materials, including brick, which was selected for its robustness, quality, and appropriateness to the conservation area’s character. Given the variegated character of Norton Folgate, four different architectural practices were brought together to diversify the architectural approach and style. Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) was appointed as masterplanner and designed three buildings, Blossom Yard & Studios, Nicholls and Clarke, and Loom Court. Stanton Williams, Morris+Company and DSDHA designed Elder Yard and Studios, 15 Norton Folgate and 16 Blossom Street respectively, with East leading the public realm strategy. Paul Monaghan, co-founder, AHMMAdvertisement   Project data Start on site January 2019 Completion Gross floor area 2 of office space, c3,000m2 of retail space Site area 9,000m2 Public realm area 2,000m2 Architect Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, DSDHA, East, Morris+Company, Stanton Williams Client British Land Structural engineer AKT II M&E Arup Cost consultants Turner & Townsend, Alinea Project manager M3 Consulting Main contractor Skanska Planning consultant DP9 Façade consultant Eckersley O’Callaghan Sustainability consultant Atelier Ten Access consultant Hilson Moran Archaeology MOLA Fire engineer Kiwa Acoustic consultant Sandy Brown Lighting designer Studio Fractal Security consultant QCIC Health and safety adviser Arcadis Employer’s representative Rex Procter & Partners Whole-life carbon 998 kgCO2eq/m2         Specification A comprehensive study of the local context was undertaken at planning application stage to understand and develop the material palettes for the buildings, the architects liaising to produce a coherent approach to the masterplan materiality. The study showed there was a wide variety of brick tones in the locality. The new bricks have all been selected to respond to the context, both retained and new, and also to work together across the development to form a coherent, yet diverse new neighbourhood. The new brick palette includes a pale Marziale, warm Lindfield Multi, warm Danehill Yellow, red Floren Gothiek and a dark Nelissen Ferro. While some of the buildings have brick-faced precast elevations and some traditional brickwork, all share the principle of careful detailing to celebrate the brick used. This is evident in the clean, calm lines and reveals on Elder Yard, the piers and textured sawtooth spandrels on Blossom Yard, the dark brick warehouse piers of 16 Blossom Street and the clean articulation of the red brick at 15 Norton Folgate.  The proportion and scale of the brick facades has been carefully considered to reflect the warehouse heritage of the site – but also to display the brick in the best possible way. The result of using the clay bricks is to instantly anchor the masterplan into the urban context, linking the City to Shoreditch, and providing a new frame of reference that encourages people to use and re-adopt the area. Paul Monaghan, co-founder, AHMM   Architect’s choices East developed a public realm strategy that knits Norton Folgate into the spatial qualities and textures of Spitalfields.Advertisement Existing materials and reused split and honed granite setts were used in yards and streets. Where appropriate, special pieces – a large tree, say, or a seat – were located to create minor foreground moments, adding to the overall sense of continuity and a fine grain in around the area.  The landscape, much like the buildings, where the use of bricks is about interrupting the common assumption that the new displaces the old, engages and enhances the neighbourhood as part of a complex aggregate design. Dann Jessen, director, East   Selected products Granite setts Noblema 190mm x 130mm x 60-80mm sawn reclaimed granite setts, slip resistance +36 (wet/dry), edges vary) Blossom Yard, Nicholls & Clarke Yard noblema.co.ukDrainage channels Marshalls 150mm Birco, cast iron Blossom Yard, Nicholls & Clarke Yard marshalls.co.ukTree and plant pots Bespoke Concrete LG09 bespoke tree and plant pots, precast concrete,  light grey, acid-etched, Type 1: 1200mm x 2500mm, Type 2: 610mm x 600mm, Type 3: 410mm x 400mm Blossom Yard bespokeconcrete.co.ukPlanting Willerby Landscapes Various species Blossom Yard, Nicholls & Clarke Yard and Elder Passage willerby-landscapes.co.ukBricks Ibstock Staffordshire Blue Brindle, dragface Nicholls & Clarke Yard ibstock.co.ukInterpretation signage Dearneside Fabrications Bespoke cast ductile iron plates and discs, various sizes and thickness: 18mm base and 3mm relief (21mm total) Blossom Yard, Nicholls & Clarke Yard and Fleur de Lis Passage dearnesidefabs.co.uk