Helicals Smithfield May 2026

Inside, the 234 apartments are arranged around triple-height winter gardens every six floors, where the helix’s steel ribs open to reveal planted terraces. The effect, according to the architects, is “urban climbing—a vertical sequence of outdoor rooms that reconnect residents to the city’s changing light and weather.” Unsurprisingly, the proposal has divided opinion. Heritage groups have raised concerns about overshadowing the Victorian market buildings and the nearby church of St Sepulchre-without-Newgate. Historic England initially objected, though revised designs reduced the taller tower from 28 to 22 storeys.

Designed by emerging architecture studio Veridian Forms , Helicals is not a single tower but a pair of intertwined residential volumes that spiral upward from a shared public podium. Located on a former car park site just minutes from the historic Smithfield Market, the development challenges the area’s traditionally low-rise fabric with a confident, sculptural gesture. The name says it all. Each of the two towers features a continuous helical exoskeleton—a lattice of weathering steel that wraps around glazed floor plates. As the towers rise, they lean slightly toward one another, creating a dynamic, choreographed silhouette. At street level, the helix widens into a colonnaded arcade, offering covered walkways, small-scale retail, and café seating. helicals smithfield

Supporters, however, point to Smithfield’s long history of adaptation. “The market itself was once a radical Victorian intervention,” says planning consultant Mina Patel. “Helicals doesn’t mimic the past, but it continues the site’s spirit of exchange and gathering—just vertically.” Crucially, the development includes a publicly accessible helix ramp—a 500-metre accessible walkway that spirals up through the podium and into a sky garden on the 10th floor. From here, visitors get uninterrupted views over the City of London, the Barbican, and the new Museum of London site. Inside, the 234 apartments are arranged around triple-height

With construction scheduled to begin in late 2026, Helicals Smithfield is poised to become one of the capital’s most talked-about landmarks—a bold twist in a neighbourhood that has never been afraid of reinvention. The name says it all

Here’s a short draft piece on — written in an informative, architectural tone suitable for a design blog, property article, or portfolio entry. A Twist in the Skyline: Helicals Brings a New Landmark to Smithfield Smithfield has long been defined by its industrial roots—cobbled streets, former meat-packing warehouses, and the iconic dome of St Bartholomew’s Hospital. But a striking new addition is set to twist its way onto the London skyline: Helicals Smithfield .