Saffron Square, Residential square in Croydon, London, United Kingdom
Saffron Square is a residential square in Croydon, South London, centred on a tall tower with a grid of grey and beige panels and stacked glass balconies. The tower rises above a white-walled lower wing with small square windows, and in front lies a paved square with a pool and young trees.
The site on Wellesley Road sat empty for more than ten years before construction of the tower began in 2011. The project was finished in 2016, and the tower was briefly the tallest residential building in Croydon.
The name Saffron Square nods to the purple and red tones of the tower, which stand out against the grey office blocks nearby. People working in the area often cross the square at lunchtime, using the benches and the edge of the pool as a meeting point.
The square is open to walk through at any time, and the paved area around the pool makes a handy spot to pause. The tower entrances are private, so visitors should stay in the public square and use the surrounding streets to reach East Croydon station.
The tower was shortlisted for the 2016 Carbuncle Cup, an award for the ugliest new building of the year, though it did not win. The lower wing steps forward from the main facade, creating an open undercroft held up by angled columns that people often walk through without noticing.
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