Agar Grove Estate – Agar Place | Architects, urban designers and researchers

Agar Grove Estate – Agar Place

Location: Camden, London
Client: London Borough of Camden
Date: 2012 - 2021
Value: £97 Million
Awards: RIBA National Awards- Winner 2023 RIBA London Awards - Winner 2023 Housing Design Awards - Winner 2022 RICS Regional Awards - Winner 2022 Camden Design Awards - Winner 2022 Inside Housing Development Awards - Winner 2022 New London Architecture Awards - Winner 2021 Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Building Performance Award - Winner 2020 Sustainability and Overall Winner Awards (Phase 1a) - NLA Awards 2019 The Mayor’s Award for Good Growth – London Planning Awards 2019 The Mayor’s Award for Sustainable and Environmental Planning – London Planning Awards 2019 Housing Design Award - Winner 2015 The Sunday Times British Homes Awards - Commendation 2015

Agar Place is part of Phase 1 of the Agar Grove Estate regeneration. Masterplanned in collaboration with Hawkins\Brown and Grant Associates, we are creating 496 new homes for new and existing residents. Of these, 359 will be built to the very high Passivhaus fabric performance standard.

The building comprises 23 market sale homes, which help fund neighbouring affordable housing. The homes are inspired by the housing projects built in Camden in the 1960s and 1970s when Sydney Cook was borough architect widely regarded as the most important urban housing built in the UK in the past 100 years.

The Camden projects of Cook’s era– Alexander Road, Fleet Road, Branch Hill, Highgate New Town and Agar Grove’s neighbour Maiden Lane – represented a new type of urban housing based on a return to streets with front doors created a kind of urbanism that integrated with, rather than broke from, its cultural and physical context.

Following the innovative spatial arrangements —that these precedents pioneered— the new homes at Agar Place are planned as split level apartments creating generous living spaces that are light filled and adhere to high space standards, and built to the Passivhaus standard to deliver low heating bills and comfortable living.

The scheme involved extensive community engagement. "The Agar Grove Estate is a great example of how estate regeneration should be done: helping existing residents play an active role in shaping the future of their neighbourhood and ensuring the development works both for them and for future residents."

Jules Pipe Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills

Further buildings that we have designed as part of Agar Grove can be found here.

Planning information can be downloaded here: ref 2013/8088/P

Agar Grove Phase 1b shortlisted for the RIBA's Neave Brown Award for Housing Project Update

Given in honour of social housing pioneer Neave Brown (1926-2018), the annual award recognises the UK’s best new affordable housing.

Neave Brown worked for Camden Council during the era when Sydney Cook was Borough Architect in the 60s and 70s. The schemes the borough delivered at the time are widely regarded as the most important urban housing built in the UK in the past 100 years. It seems fitting, and we are honoured, that our scheme for Camden Council has been shortlisted for this prestigious national award.

The winner will be announced at the RIBA's Stirling Prize ceremony in Manchester on 19th October.
July 2023 View Project
Mæ receives two RIBA National Awards 2023 Project Update

The John Morden Centre and Agar Grove Phase 1b have each received a RIBA National Award 2023. The RIBA National Awards are given to buildings across the UK in recognition of their significant contributions to architecture.

2023's winners, announced on 22 June 2022, were selected by the jury (members of the RIBA Awards Group), chaired by Denise Bennetts, from the RIBA Regional Award winners.
June 2023
Agar Grove 1b shortlisted for 2023 RIBA London Regional Awards Project Update

We are delighted to announce that Agar Grove Phase 1b has been shortlisted for the 2023 RIBA London Regional Awards. The project delivers 57 homes as part of the wider Agar Grove estate regeneration all designed to passivhaus standard and orientated around a shared garden.
February 2023 View Project
Agar Grove Estate 'highly commended' at the RICS National Awards Project Update

The RICS Awards showcase the most inspirational initiatives and developments in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. The RICS Awards also recognise outstanding achievement, teamwork and companies so a fantastic achievement to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award.
Agar Grove Estate, Mæ's shortlisted project within the residential category was a close winner, yet highly commended by the judges for its sustainability, design and contribution to the community.
October 2022 View Project
Agar Grove 1b wins Inside Housing Development Awards category Project Update

Following the shortlisting announced in June, Agar Grove Phase 1b has now been announced as winner of the Inside Housing Development Awards for Best Regeneration Project, for up to 100 homes.

The Inside Housing Development awards offer the great opportunity to celebrate the very best residential developments across the UK. There are awards to recognise the teams, schemes and solutions that have made a positive impact on the communities we serve, and there are categories to suit all tenures.

A great achievement for Agar Grove Estate in Camden.
September 2022 View Project
Agar Grove Estate phases 1a & 1b announced as winner of the GLA Award for Housing Design Awards 2022 Project Update

Incredible news as Agar Grove Estate, Phases 1a & 1b is announced as winner of the GLA Award for Housing Design Awards 2022.

Tom Copley of Greater London Authority, Deputy Mayor for Housing & Residential Development states:

“In the recent past, the delivery of new homes in london have taken on new challenges, all critical….
Fuel poverty is the biggest issue facing Londoners so this winner is so timely. The award goes to the first 4 blocks in an estate regeneration programme led by a London Council that will provide the country's largest Passivhaus scheme. Passivhaus certification caps heating loadings to less than 10% of the average and residents in the first block delivered have now lived there through two winters. Residents have reported that it works, some even say they can get by with their heating off. What a win for those households, we really need more like this clever scheme.”
September 2022 View Project
Agar Grove 1b is shortlisted for the AJ Awards 2022 Project Update

Mæ's Agar Grove 1b, consisting of Hazelbury Way & Agar Place, the most recently completed phase of Agar Grove Estate in Camden has been shortlisted for the Architectural Journal (AJ) Awards 2022 for the Housing Project category. A great achievement for the practice as well as all collaborators, consultants and of course our client at London Borough of Camden.

Celebrating and rewarding design excellence in UK architecture, AJ the awards highlight the very best projects across 17+ categories from housing, health and wellbeing to workplace and cultural projects.

The winning projects will be revealed at a celebratory event in London on 23rd November 2022.
August 2022 View Project
Agar Grove Phase 1 wins Camden Design Awards 2022 Project Update

A great result for Mæ alongside Hawkins\Brown, as Phase 1 of Agar Grove Estate wins the Camden Design Awards 2022, as announced at the Awards ceremony hosted by Camden Council in June.

The awards celebrate and reward the excellent design that is being delivered in projects across all sectors of the built environment in the Camden borough and it's a delight for the scheme to be crowned winner for this year's awards.
June 2022 View Project
Agar Grove 1b shortlisted for the Inside Housing Development Awards 2022 Project Update

Great news for Mæ as the shortlist is announced for the Inside Housing Development Awards 2022.

Completed in 2021, Agar Grove 1b has been designed and delivered to Passivhaus standards, substantially reducing energy use and bills for existing and future residents of the borough.

The new blocks in Camden are inspired by London’s traditional buildings and streetscapes, whilst accommodating family-friendly maisonettes, split-level apartments and communal playgrounds.
June 2022 View the full shortlist
Agar Grove 1b wins the RICS Regional Awards 2022 Project Update

Located in Camden, Agar Grove, Phase 1b, nominated and designed by Mæ, wins the residential category RICS Regional Awards 2022.

The scheme marks the latest phase in a 57 home Passivhaus regeneration scheme in North London, master planned by Mæ and Hawkins\Brown alongside landscape architects Grant Associates.

Judges state '' The sustainability achievements of this project, with the consequent reduction in energy usage and fuel bills, the quality of the new homes, the evident collaboration between the design team, the Council and the community are testaments to its success''

An overall great achievement for all involved.
May 2022 View Project
Agar Grove 1b shortlisted for the Camden Design Awards 2022 Project Update

Agar Grove 1b, part of The Agar Grove Estate, based in the London Borough of Camden has been shortlisted for this year's Camden Design Awards 2022. The awards celebrate and reward the excellent design that is being delivered in projects across all sectors of the built environment in Camden, North London, whilst focusing on enriching the lives of the people who live and work in Camden. Winners will be announced at an awards event as part of the London Festival of Architecture in the Summer of 2022.
May 2022 View Project
Agar Grove 1b shortlisted for the RICS Awards 2022 Project Update

Mæ are pleased to disclose Agar Grove 1b has been shortlisted for the Residential category in this year's RICS Awards 2022.

The RICS awards are renown for showcasing the most inspirational and innovative initiatives and developments across the country in construction, land and infrastructure. Projects are also required to demonstrate the highest standards of not only professionalism, but also ethics by individuals and teams across the built and natural environment.
April 2022 RICS Awards 2022
Agar Grove Estate 1a & 1b shortlisted for the Housing Design Awards 2022 Project Update

The shortlist has recently been announced for the Housing Design Awards 2022, the longest running awards programme since 1948, showcasing innovative residential schemes across the country.

Mæ and Hawkins/Brown are pleased to share Agar Grove Estate phases 1a & 1b in Camden has been included within the shortlist.

Agar Grove Estate is the UK’s largest Passivhaus development project to date and provides 94 homes designed to better suit households for whom existing units were undersized and unfit for purpose.

The new homes are filled with daylight thanks to the generous, double or triple aspect layouts, with split-levels offering flexibility between living spaces.
March 2022 Find out more
Two projects shortlisted for the Housing Design Awards 2022 Practice News

The Housing Design Awards shortlist 2022 has recently been announced, a list of innovative and well-designed residential schemes across the UK. Mæ are thrilled, not one but two projects have been included within the list for this year's selection.

Mæ's projects include Knight's Walk, a project consisting of 84 homes for Lambeth Council and Agar Grove 1a & 1b in Camden, a joint scheme with Hawkins/Brown for London Borough of Camden.

The Housing Design Awards’ original purpose was to explain what residents think about innovative design and whether it can be replicated. 72 years later this continues.
March 2022 View the HDA shortlist here
New London Awards 2021 Winner - Agar Grove 1b Project Update

Agar Grove Phase 1b has won the Housing category in this year's New London Architecture Awards. Part of the Agar Grove Estate regeneration phase 1b consists of three midrise building enclosing a communal play spaces, whilst creating overlooked frontages onto the surrounding streets. The design is inspired by the area’s elegant Georgian villas and terraces in form and material but also acknowledges popular contemporary home types, such as maisonettes and split-level apartments.
November 2021
Mayor of London; Sadiq Khan visits our newly completed Agar Grove scheme Project Update

Sadiq Khan; Mayor of London visits Mæ's recently completed phase of Agar Grove in Camden, amidst the weeks of discussion of COP26. The project, for the London Borough of Camden, will deliver 507 new homes for new and existing residents, of these, 359 to the very high Passivhaus fabric performance standard and is, so far, the largest Passivhaus scheme in the country.
November 2021 View Project