Park Hill’s dominated my life since. During Covid, I was fortunate enough to live in Phase One whilst Phase Two was under construction. Witnessing the changes being made each day was hugely satisfying. The only downside being the site team’s awareness of where I was at all times; I couldn’t be late for meetings!

When I lived here so much of the building was still in its unoccupied and gritty state. Studio Egret West and Hawkins\Brown have done an incredible job completing the first phase but their brief was different; they were tasked with kicking off a new era of Park Hill and creating something that would alter the long-held, negative perception of the building.

Phase One was characterised by the architects’ decision to use bright and colourful anodised panels that echoed Park Hill’s original brickwork. That decision was a strong signifier of change, and helped the local community to see a new direction for the development.

This allowed our team to take a more sensitive approach for Phase Two. We didn’t need to be as transformational, so our first decision was to retain the original brickwork. This was a risk as we didn’t know how well it would clean up, but the restoration has been hugely successful. It was sympathetically done so that the brick still shows some of the carbon staining which had gradually built up over the years. Although not perfect, this tells a story of the age of Park Hill, which I feel adds to its beauty.

It sounds simple in hindsight, but as with every huge reconstruction we’ve faced challenges along the way; it takes a brave and bold client to undertake something of this magnitude and fortunately that’s exactly what Urban Splash embodies with their approach.

Urban Splash director of regeneration Mark Latham has been the epitome of that – pioneering the project and keeping us all on our toes with his eye for design and desire to consistently challenge us to make Park Hill the best it can be. He’s been a wonderful client and together we’ve tackled obstacles head on.

Looking to the future, being retained for the next phase is the biggest testament to the relationship and trust we have built with Urban Splash. It’s a great personal achievement to be instructed on Phases Four and Five, where we can learn from the past and continue to create more beautiful homes here.

We’ve also pushed the needle, with the consensus of Park Hill shifting in recent consultations. Whilst engaging with the local community it is noticeable how much more enthused local residents are than our initial consultations for Phase Two – with some asking more questions about when they could move in rather than calling for the building to be knocked down! That’s illustrative of the shift in mood and perception around the restoration and we’re really happy to have been a part of that.

I’ve been fortunate to meet many of the residents, and hearing their stories first hand has been valuable. It’s great to see how some of our design decisions have been enjoyed by residents and to see how well-lived Park Hill has become already, it’s evolving into a thriving and varied community that is able to live, work, and play here. We’ll be learning from those residents and applying that valuable feedback to Phases Four and Five.

At its core, Park Hill is about the community coming together. That not only includes the residents, but also the businesses which have chosen to be here. Businesses such as South Street Kitchen and The Pearl – each helping to galvanise the social side of the community, providing a place for people to connect and evolve together as they build roots.

It’s been so rewarding to see the community thrive at Park Hill and I’m excited for the next phases to commence and for this unique place to grow further.