NY Firm Grzywinski+Pons Wins Newham Hotel Approval 2026

Key Points

• New York City-based architecture practice Grzywinski+Pons has secured planning approval for a 21-storey hotel proposal in Newham, east London.
• The scheme is for Staycity Aparthotels and includes an apart-hotel, communal amenity space, an ancillary gym, public realm improvements, and associated landscaping.
• The development is on a 0.11ha site immediately north-west of Stratford shopping centre and south-east of Westfield Stratford.
• Newham councillors voted in favour of the proposals at a meeting on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, despite concerns over the building’s proximity to the neighbouring Legacy Tower.
• Initial plans were submitted in April 2025; amended plans in January 2026 increased the distance from the neighbouring 33-storey Legacy Tower (by Suttonca Architects) by 1.6m, added privacy fins, and introduced serrations on the façade facing the tower.
• Once built, the tower will complete a trio of tall buildings north of Stratford town centre, alongside the completed Legacy Tower and BDP’s under-construction 41-storey student accommodation tower for Unite.
• Matthew Grzywinski, co-founder of Grzywinski+Pons, expressed excitement about the approval and highlighted productive collaboration with Newham Council, the Greater London Authority (GLA), and other stakeholders.
• The practice emphasised a “neighbourly” design approach, ensuring the building fits within the street wall while having its own character.
• The site currently comprises an unused former taxi rank, a coach drop-off area, a British Transport Police welfare facility, and a Network Rail parking site.
• Planning officers recommended approval prior to the council meeting.

Newham (East London Times) February 16, 2026 – A New York City-based architecture practice, Grzywinski+Pons, has won planning approval from Newham Council for a striking 21-storey apart-hotel tower developed by Staycity Aparthotels. The decision came despite reservations from some councillors about its close proximity to the neighbouring Legacy Tower, with councillors voting in favour at a meeting on Tuesday, 10 February 2026. The 0.11ha site, located immediately north-west of Stratford shopping centre and south-east of Westfield Stratford, will replace disused infrastructure including a former taxi rank, coach drop-off, British Transport Police welfare facility, and Network Rail parking.

Planning officers had recommended approval ahead of the meeting, praising the scheme’s refinements that addressed key concerns. As reported in the Architects’ Journal, the initial plans submitted by Grzywinski+Pons in April 2025 placed the tower just 10-12m from the 33-storey Legacy Tower, a residential block designed by Suttonca Architects. Amended plans lodged in January 2026 increased this separation to 11.6-13.6m, incorporating privacy fins and a serrated façade on the side facing the existing structure to mitigate overlooking and privacy issues, according to planning documents cited by the Architects’ Journal.

What Triggered Councillors’ Concerns Over Proximity?

Councillors in Newham expressed unease primarily about the tower’s closeness to the Legacy Tower during the 10 February 2026 meeting. Despite these worries, the vote went in favour of approval, reflecting confidence in the design mitigations. The Architects’ Journal noted that the proximity had been a focal point, with the original 10-12m gap deemed too tight for a high-rise development in such a dense area north of Stratford town centre.

Planning documents, as referenced by the Architects’ Journal, detailed how the amendments directly tackled these issues. The 1.6m increase in separation, combined with privacy fins—vertical projections designed to obscure sightlines—and façade serrations that break up the flat plane, were pivotal in swaying officers’ recommendations. No specific councillor quotes from the meeting were publicly detailed in available reports, but the officers’ backing underscored the scheme’s compliance with local and GLA guidelines.

How Did Grzywinski+Pons Respond to the Approval?

Matthew Grzywinski, co-founder of Grzywinski+Pons, shared his firm’s enthusiasm directly with the Architects’ Journal (AJ). He stated:

“We are very excited to have received planning approval from Newham so we can bring forward the missing piece in this evolving and increasingly coherent edge-cluster neighbourhood in Stratford.”

Grzywinski further highlighted the collaborative process, saying:

“We have undertaken a productive journey and a robust collaboration with Newham, the Greater London Authority and other stakeholders. This ongoing dialogue was instrumental in evolving our scheme and creating a proposal that improved with each interaction.”

The practice issued an additional statement to the AJ, emphasising design sensitivity:

“We paid careful attention to ensuring our proposal was as neighbourly an addition to our emerging context as possible. We thought hard about all facets of the architecture, designing a building with its own character that would still sit comfortably within the street wall. We now look forward to delivering this project with our client.”

This reflects a deliberate effort to integrate the tower into Stratford’s skyline without overpowering adjacent structures.

What Features Does the Staycity Aparthotels Scheme Include?

The approved development for Staycity Aparthotels goes beyond mere accommodation. It encompasses a full apart-hotel with serviced apartments, communal amenity spaces for residents, an ancillary gym, enhanced public realm areas, and associated landscaping. According to the Architects’ Journal, these elements aim to activate the underutilised site while contributing positively to the local environment.

The public realm improvements are particularly noteworthy, transforming what is currently a patchwork of transport-related uses into a more pedestrian-friendly zone. Landscaping will soften the high-rise’s base, aligning with Newham’s aspirations for high-quality urban spaces around Stratford, a key regeneration hub boosted by the Olympics legacy and ongoing Westfield expansions.

What Is the Site’s Current State and Future Impact?

The 0.11ha plot has lain largely dormant, hosting an unused former taxi rank, a coach drop-off point, a British Transport Police welfare facility, and Network Rail parking. The Architects’ Journal reported that delivery of the consented scheme will clear these low-value uses, unlocking potential for economic activity. Staycity Aparthotels, as the client, stands to gain a prime foothold in one of east London’s busiest transport and retail nodes.

Once complete, the Grzywinski+Pons tower will form the third element in a trio of tall buildings north of Stratford town centre. This cluster includes the finished Legacy Tower by Suttonca Architects and BDP’s 41-storey super-tall student accommodation skyscraper for Unite, which secured approval as covered previously by the Architects’ Journal. This “edge-cluster” neighbourhood, as termed by Grzywinski, is evolving into a coherent high-rise enclave, supporting Stratford’s growth as a residential and visitor destination.

Why Was Planning Officers’ Recommendation Crucial?

Newham’s planning officers played a decisive role by recommending approval prior to the 10 February 2026 committee meeting. Their report, referenced in the Architects’ Journal coverage, affirmed that the revised scheme met all material planning considerations, including height, massing, privacy, and public benefits. This endorsement likely tipped the balance for councillors wary of the proximity issue.

The officers noted the iterative design process, crediting Grzywinski+Pons for responding effectively to feedback from the council and GLA. Such recommendations carry significant weight in UK planning, often guiding outcomes in contentious cases like this one, where tall buildings in sensitive locations demand rigorous scrutiny.

How Does This Fit into Stratford’s Skyline Evolution?

Stratford’s transformation since the 2012 Olympics has seen a proliferation of tall buildings, with this approval marking another milestone. The Grzywinski+Pons project slots into an “evolving and increasingly coherent edge-cluster neighbourhood,” per Matthew Grzywinski’s AJ quote. By completing the trio alongside Legacy Tower and the BDP-Unite scheme, it reinforces Stratford’s status as a high-density hub proximate to Westfield and transport links.

Critics might question the pace of vertical growth, but proponents argue it optimises land use in a borough facing housing pressures. The scheme’s “neighbourly” ethos, as articulated by the practice, seeks to balance innovation with respect for the existing context, a hallmark of successful urban infill.

What Lies Ahead for Construction and Delivery?

With approval secured, attention turns to construction timelines, though no specific start date was announced in reports. Grzywinski+Pons expressed readiness to “deliver this project with our client,” signaling momentum. Staycity Aparthotels, known for aparthotel expansions across Europe, will oversee development, potentially bringing hundreds of beds to Newham’s visitor economy.

Stakeholder collaboration continues, with the GLA’s input ensuring alignment with London Plan policies on tall buildings. Monitoring post-approval conditions—such as construction management and public realm delivery—will be key to realising the promised benefits without disruption to Stratford’s bustling daily life.