The Manser Practice – Repton Gardens Residential Amenities, London

Text provided by The Manser Practice

Repton Gardens is a large Built to Rent scheme in Wembley named after Humphry Repton, one of the last great landscape designers of the eighteenth century. The Manser Practice designed the communal areas of the project, including the residential lounges, lobbies, a gym, bar and games room, and a dramatic staircase leading up through a triple height space to podium level gardens. The interiors of all these areas were inspired by the work of Humphry Repton, with a botanical theme that utilises an abundance of planting, timber and other natural materials such as wood, wool ceilings and Foresso – a sustainable surface recycled from timber offcuts. Superfluous finishes were avoided, with a polished concrete floor, exposed services and hardwearing furniture to ensure longevity. These spaces have become a huge draw for new residents, and have helped the project set a new benchmark for the Build to Rent sector in the capital.

The Manser Practice designed the communal areas with flexibility in mind. For example, all partitions were designed to sit directly on a polished concrete floor, allowing them to be moved in the future. This philosophy was put to the test following the COVID-19 pandemic, when one of the part-constructed lounge areas was converted into a work from home area using MMC ‘pods’. This area now contains dedicated work from home spaces and meeting rooms that residents can rent on a short or long term basis – a new concept for Build to Rent.