The proposal introduces a lightweight, open metal framework as a contemporary echo of the historic masonry arches. This structure creates a transitional “buffer zone” as a result—a semi-external arcade that mediates between the public and private realms. Integrated with soft landscaping and climbing plants, this canopy is conceived not only to soften the industrial edge but also to unveil the previously obscured structures, allowing the monumental scale of the brick viaduct and intrinsic arch identity to be read clearly from the street.

Internally, the challenge of navigating complex level changes and deep floor plates is addressed through bold structural interventions. Existing floors are adjusted for level access and the jack-arches heightened to facilitate arteries for single occupancy models. Whist externally, a new, lightweight connecting structure could link fragmented spaces, capitalising on the previously redundant void between the rear of Kingsland Road structures and the viaduct. Conceptually, this intervention pays homage to the historic Shoreditch Rail Station platform and knits the site together into a cohesive whole, transforming “dead space” into a dynamic, light-filled atrium that facilitates circulation and visual connectivity between the heritage assets.

Within the arches themselves, the proposals explore the potential for mezzanine structures. Through capitalising on the jack-arch structural interventions, spanning mezzanines could be implemented to maximise lettable area without compromising the arched volume and floorspace below. These independent steel elements would sit lightly within the masonry shell, creating valuable upper-level spaces that offer other outlooks from which to appreciate the vaulted brick ceilings. The juxtaposition of crisp, contemporary steelwork against the patina of the original stock brick bolsters the dialogue between past and present.