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zodiac

restoring an icon and creating a new common for broad green

Zodiac transforms a worn-out, concrete 1960s complex in Broad Green, West Croydon, into 73 thoughtfully designed, environmentally responsible homes. The regeneration is grounded in an existing community, delivering much needed social housing and communal space.

The two-acre redevelopment breathes new life into a landmark collection of modernist buildings, redefining the heart of Broad Green. The four floor office block and tarmacked forecourt had stood empty for over 30 years, deteriorating and creating a gap on the high street.

The regeneration brings out the underlying qualities of the neighbourhood – a bustling, well-connected area with a strong existing community. It delivers a high-quality development that serves both new and existing residents, community groups, and business owners, all within the framework of the site’s unique architectural heritage.

shedkm worked with purpose-led developer Common Projects, and Homes England provided development finance. Croydon Council acquired the homes to be used as temporary accommodation.

Client:

Common Projects

Location:

Croydon

Size:

4,431m2
1,060m2 park

Contract value:

£11 million

Status:

Complete

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revitalising a brutalist block

Zodiac Court was originally built in the 1960s era of optimism in Croydon. Modernist architectural details are key to the building’s character: rational form, a rigorous grid, and a restrained pallet of materials. Retained details preserve the building’s identity on the high street, including the existing pebbledash spandrel panels and concrete fins, and the twelve Zodiac signs that give the building its name.

Reusing the existing structure preserved 3,940 tonnes CO2e, while avoiding reconstruction prevented a further 2,624 tonnes of CO2e – the equivalent of planting 120,000 trees. Taking a fabric first approach, the building achieved high-performing U-Values of 0.18 for walls and between 0.18-0.30 for floors, a radical improvement over the building’s original uninsulated state.

The hostile concrete forecourt has been transformed into a verdant community garden with landscape architecture design by Planit. Furthering our commitment to reuse, shedkm repurposed a cross-laminated timber pavilion – initially designed for Urban Splash in Cambridge – as a new community hub, Croydon Smile Hub.

zodiac is not just a redevelopment; it’s a regeneration – a way to breathe new life into broad green, providing much-needed homes, spaces, and green areas while respecting the architectural heritage and community spirit of west croydon.

quality social housing

Zodiac prioritises living standards over density, delivering 73 units compared to a prior 115-unit proposal for the building. A mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom homes with generous ceiling heights overlook communal planted courtyards. Durable, cost-effective materials have been specified throughout so that repairs can be made within council budgets, preventing the building becoming dilapidated over time. Selected as one of just 20 schemes for The Architects’ Journal’s Good Homes For All campaign, the homes demonstrate shedkm’s belief in high-quality housing regardless of tenure or income.

re-greening west croydon

The old forecourt was a tarmacked private car park, fenced off from the public and attracting crime and antisocial behaviour. It has been transformed into a new 1,060m2 park, symbolic of the lost historic green space that gave Broad Green its name. The new park is a verdant, human-centric space with abundant lawns, herbaceous and shrub planting and semi-mature trees. Accessible routes and varied seating heights ensure the space is inclusive, encouraging shared use and interaction between residents and the surrounding community.

community placemaking

The project involved significant stakeholder engagement with the council and community, and particular consideration was given to traditionally marginalised groups. The community had described the original building as “ugly”, “dark”, and an “eyesore”. The proposal for the new building, landscaping, and communal facilities received significant support – 94% of respondents rated them good or very good. Local community group, Croydon Business Alliance, run the new pavilion, Croydon Smile Hub. The group offers a busy calendar of events, supporting local people with employment and entrepreneurship, and creating a place to congregate, learn, and grow.

before

shedkm approach

Zodiac exemplifies shedkm’s people-first approach, repairing neglected places and buildings to bring vibrancy, long-term social value, and sustainability to growing communities. The retrofit makes use of a redundant commercial building to deliver urgently needed temporary accommodation while reanimating a forgotten stretch of the high street. The project makes a case for quality social housing as a cornerstone in regeneration projects – alleviating the pressure on local councils and creating places rooted in care, optimism, and renewal.

“when I walked into the flat it was clean, fresh, new… when I watched my daughter sleep that night, I cried because it felt like a home of our own. i’ve gone from surviving to rebuilding here. i’m thinking about work for myself, again, and about preschool for her. it’s hard to describe how much better things are for us – and it just doesn’t make sense to have all these empty buildings out there when a place like this can turn someone’s whole life back around.”

Jen, Resident

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