Enclave: Acton

HTA Design’s 32-storey co-living tower in North Acton employs volumetric modular construction to deliver 462 compact homes above a reinstated neighbourhood pub.

Photos
Kilian O’Sullivan

HTA Design has completed Enclave: Acton, a 32-storey co-living building on a prominent corner site in North Acton. Developed and delivered with Tide and its offsite manufacturing arm Vision Volumetric, and operated by Outpost Management, the tower replaces the former Castle Pub and marks the latest collaboration between the teams following Enclave: Croydon.

Rising to 106 metres, the building forms part of the wider regeneration of the Old Oak and Park Royal Opportunity Area and sits three minutes’ walk from North Acton station. Despite its scale, the project is closely anchored to its immediate context: the Castle Pub is reinstated at ground level, with a public function room above, ensuring that the site’s long-standing social role continues to animate the street.

“By reinstating the pub and introducing a first-floor public function room with independent access, Enclave: Acton strengthens its role as a community hub” said Simon Toplis, partner at HTA Design. “Above the pub, we transformed a challenging site through our expertise in co-living design, delivering a distinctive triangulated plan that integrates shared amenities with varied home layouts. The glazed brick references historic pubs while creating a cohesive architectural identity that celebrates this prominent corner site.”

The building is organised as two interlocking volumes of 27 and 32 storeys, shaped by the site’s unusual diamond geometry. This triangulated plan produces a slender profile while allowing the internal layout to remain highly efficient. Above the pub, 462 studio apartments are stacked within a modular framework, each averaging 22.5 square metres and designed to balance compact private living with shared amenities and communal space, which is a key tenet of the project’s co-living model.

Around 1,500 square metres of shared facilities are distributed throughout the building, encouraging social interaction and supporting day-to-day wellbeing. At roof level, a terrace with panoramic views is paired with enclosed sunrooms, allowing the space to be used year-round, while structured landscaping at ground level defines the building edge and contributes to the public realm.

HTA also led the interior design, drawing on the character of the former Castle Pub and the nearby BBC Television Rehearsal Rooms. Arts and Crafts references are abstracted through basket-weave patterns and carefully detailed joinery, set against a palette of bold, mid-century colours.

Externally, the façade combines warm glazed terracotta tiles with aluminium infill panels and polished glass-reinforced concrete. Glazed bricks are arranged in faceted patterns with deep reveals that catch and reflect daylight, giving the tower a sense of texture and depth as it rises. This detailing is consistent across the building’s varied uses, helping to unify the pub, communal floors and residential levels into a single architectural expression.

The project was delivered using a fully volumetric modular approach, with homes manufactured offsite and assembled on site, which allowed the entire scheme to be completed in 18 months.

“This project demonstrates how volumetric construction enables high-quality, sustainable housing delivery at pace and scale, with 462 homes completed in less than 18 months” said Christy Hayes, chief executive of Tide Construction.

Troy Tomasik, CEO, Outpost Management, added: “We’re excited to open Enclave: Acton, our latest London development and the fourth in our growing portfolio alongside King’s Cross, Croydon, and Birmingham City. With beautifully designed apartments and five floors of outstanding amenities, Enclave: Acton delivers our effortless living concept — convenience-led, tech-enabled, and all-inclusive. This vibrant new community reflects our commitment to creating high-quality homes that empower residents to live productively, healthily, and happily.”