A cool concept by Harry Handelsman of Manhattan Loft Corporation, and Scandi-chic interiors by Space Copenhagen make The Stratford the pride of its namesake neighbourhood
Step out of Stratford International station, and an impressive double cantilevered structure of glass and terracotta—depending on which side you are viewing it from—looms large over the skyline of the East London neighbourhood. The Stratford, a project by Manhattan Loft Corporation, which is housed in a skyscraper by architecture firm SOM, its first one in the UK, opened in the East London district of Stratford early this year.
Here’s why it ticks a few boxes in our books.
IT FORGES THE DISTRICT’S STATUS AS A CULTURAL HUB
The Stratford sits beside one of London’s largest retail malls Westfield Stratford City and in front of Stratford International station, from where St Pancras is a six-minute train ride away. Geographic location aside, the neighbourhood is one to peg to your travel diary. Previously a marshland, Stratford has seen a sea change since the 2012 Olympics. Today, the area boasts some of the finest sports venues and is a smorgasbord of cultures, arts and heritage from around the world. In the years to come, Stratford will also be home to the V&A, Sadler’s Wells, University College London, and the London College of Fashion, with more to come.