Sheepcote Road

Location: Harrow

Brick Manufacturers: Ibstock PLC / Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC

Brick Names: Shoreham Red Multi / Floren Pallas Grey

Architect: Threefold Architects

Brickwork Contractor: Legendre Group / Woodhurst Brickwork

Sheepcote Road is a vibrant new housing scheme in Harrow, designed by Threefold Architects for Pocket Living. Set on a former brownfield site at the edge of Harrow town centre, the development delivers 149 fully accessible, affordable homes for first-time buyers and renters - targeting young professionals and key workers with well-designed, sustainable living in a highly accessible location.

The scheme is composed of two interlocking L-shaped buildings that frame a new pedestrian route and central landscaped courtyard, reactivating a previously impermeable site and stitching it back into the surrounding neighbourhood. The architectural response is one of crafted restraint: a precisely articulated urban form that transitions from the high-rise town centre to the finer residential grain beyond.

At the core of its success is a highly expressive and contextually resonant use of clay brick, which binds the scheme together both materially and conceptually. Drawing inspiration from Harrow’s interwar shopping parades, the façade is defined by a bespoke palette of light grey multi bricks interspersed with contrasting red brick bands, projecting courses and headers. The rhythmic grid reflects the internal plan while visually modulating the building’s mass, creating a strong vertical emphasis and a sense of civic character.

The contrast between grey and red bricks gives the elevation richness and depth. Red brick lintels mark floor levels and frame large window openings, while alternating brick bonds and subtle reliefs animate the façade with texture and shadow. This layered language of brickwork reflects a commitment to architectural craft and local continuity, offering a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional detailing that feels both new and familiar.

The same rose-hued red brick is used at the building’s base, where a colonnaded brick podium frames the main entrances and amenity spaces. Here, clay brick is not just a façade material but a tactile, welcoming presence. Inside the double-height entrance lobby, brick is used on the interior walls and integrated planters to create a warm, robust, and grounded atmosphere. Natural light pours in through full-height glazing, playing off the textures of the brick surfaces to enhance the sense of arrival and communal identity.

This lobby is more than a transitional space, it is a social and functional heart for residents. With flexible seating, co-working areas on a mezzanine, and planting integrated within brick plinths, it supports daily life and interaction. In the second building, a similarly detailed brick colonnade defines the set-back corner entrance, maintaining architectural continuity and activating the public realm.

Externally, elevated bridges between buildings provide communal terraces, visually and socially connecting the blocks. Throughout, shared outdoor spaces - including roof gardens, allotments, and biodiverse planting - encourage community and well-being.

Sustainability and affordability underpin every design decision. The dense form minimises heat loss, while solar PVs, high-performance glazing, and permeable paving ensure long-term environmental resilience. Clay brick plays a key role as a low-maintenance, durable envelope but as a medium that brings elegance, familiarity, and longevity to this affordable housing model.

Sheepcote Road exemplifies how contemporary brick architecture can foster identity, community, and delight in the everyday.