Our masterplan for this tiny car-free island in the River Thames near Richmond had to marry a rich industrial heritage with conservation issues in a flood zone. We breathed new life into the semi-derelict Thornycroft boatyard – which manufactured landing craft in World War Two – by making it a hub for creative industries. New urban spaces linked it to the quay which retained its river focus with boat-building and residential moorings. A wooded hill to the west of the island, formed by spoil from a reservoir excavation, made an ideal location for secluded homes above the flood zone.
_


