The Dephna Group is planning a 13-story building on Portal Way in North Acton that will offer commercial kitchen rental and a new type of building design, according to The Practice. This proposal replaces a previous two-tower project that included rental kitchens and 376 homes, which was approved in 2018. The new 22,700 square meter proposal will feature 10 floors of “dark kitchens” for off-site food preparation for restaurants and local shops, as well as a community food hall with street vendors and cafes.
This innovative industrial design aims to bring making spaces back into the city, creating jobs in suburban areas outside London. By tapping into the renaissance of craft, industry, and making that is slowly returning to urban environments, this architecture questions the status quo. The new dark kitchens will help to achieve wider carbon reduction goals and develop food destinations that foster a sense of community. By offering a plethora of food brands, everyone can come together and find something they love in a gathering point reminiscent of Sikh communities. The upper levels will feature 260 kitchens, providing 1200 jobs for the local area, while the ground floor will have a permeable public realm, street vendors, and café space. This new building typology seeks to reinvent the way urban environments operate from a food development, delivery, and production standpoint.
Proposals for the 0.75ha site have been submitted to the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC). The new development will replace an existing low-rise commercial kitchen and office block owned by Dephna. The practice hopes to receive a decision from the OPDC in October of this year.
Read more about this story at the Architects Journal.