Cranfields Mill, Ipswich

An award-winning landmark waterfront revival

Revitalising Ipswich’s historic docks into a vibrant mixed-use community with East Anglia’s tallest building.

Completed in 2009, ‘The Mill’ transformed a neglected industrial waterfront into a bold new urban quarter for Ipswich. At its heart stands a 23-storey residential tower, the tallest building in East Anglia, surrounded by a vibrant mix of homes, cultural venues, shops, and restaurants.

The scheme reimagined a brownfield dockside site as a socially and economically active neighbourhood, reconnecting the town to its maritime heritage and acknowledging the former concrete grain silos.

Mixed-Use Regeneration Reinvented

Cranfields Mill delivered:

  • 327 apartments in a range of tenures and layouts

  • Cultural anchor: the acclaimed Jerwood Dance House, providing rehearsal and performance space for DanceEast

  • Shops, cafes and restaurants arranged around a landscaped courtyard and active ground floor frontages

The bold massing and waterfront placement create a landmark skyline silhouette for Ipswich, supported by a masterplan that encourages walkability, connectivity, and civic life.

A black and white sketch of modern high-rise buildings near water with a minimalist style.

Designed with Confidence, Built for Community

The architecture is both expressive and contextual. Carefully selected materials – glass, timber, render, metal – reference the textures of nearby grain silos and maritime structures. Public realm improvements, including new riverside walkways and gathering spaces, knit the development into the broader fabric of the town.

“A landmark for the city of Ipswich — delivered with courage and persistence.”
Edward Coe FRICS, Lead Judge, RICS Awards

“Cranfields Mill is qualitatively and quantitatively head and shoulders above any other development along the harbour side.”
Jan-Carlos Kucharek, RIBA Journal

A modern white high-rise building with the sign 'The MIXX' on its side, viewed above older stone buildings in an urban setting.
Modern high-rise building with colorful rectangular accents in an urban setting next to water, with partly cloudy sky and construction crane in the background.
Photo of a modern multi-story building with a black metal exterior on the lower floors and a beige brick upper section, with a clear blue sky and some clouds in the background.
A detailed grayscale map of a waterfront area showing streets, buildings, a dock, and a marina with boats. Streets include Star Lane, Key Street, College Street, Fundy Lane, and Foundation Street. Notable locations include St. Mary Quay, St. Peters Dock, and Albany Wharf. The map also features retail spaces, a dance house, and a car park.
Close-up of a modern multi-story building's exterior with wooden panel siding and multiple windows and balconies with glass railings.
Modern apartment building with white exterior, various colorful window frames, and a protruding balcony with orange and gray details, set against a blue sky with clouds.
Cityscape with modern and under-construction buildings along a river under a blue sky.

Quote…

“On the face of it, what LBY Architects have achieved with The Mill in Ipswich is quite incredible. This is genuine mixed-use waterfront regeneration, and I know of no other scheme that has matched a significant arts organisation with speculative housing”

Rory Olcayto, Architects Journal

Unfinished room with large windows and a small balcony area, showing a view of a residential neighborhood.
Modern kitchen with white cabinetry and built-in oven, adjacent to a small balcony with green walls and wooden flooring.
Modern multi-story residential building with balconies and a decorative facade, surrounded by an open paved area under a cloudy sky.
  • The Albion Wharf Marina with boats docked in the foreground, in the background is the Cranfields Mill Tower modern buildings under a blue sky.
  • Aerial view of a city with modern high-rise buildings, a river with boats, and older smaller buildings and houses, with streets and parking lots.
  • Colorful modern multi-story building with orange, red, yellow, and white accents against a clear blue sky in an urban setting.
  • Cityscape with a modern beige brick building, surrounding colorful high-rises, and a man standing in an open plaza.
  • A modern white high-rise building with colored window accents, surrounded by green trees, under a partly cloudy sky.

The details

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Client/Developer: Wharfside Regeneration
Location: Ipswich Waterfront, Ipswich
Completion: May 2009
Building Type: Mixed-use residential and cultural development
Contractor: Laing O’Rourke
Value: £50 million

Photographs: Morley von Sternberg

APPROACH & INFLUENCE

Project Type: High-rise waterfront regeneration

Design Approach: Mixed-use urban planning, landmark design, cultural integration

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

RICS East of England Project of the Year 2010

RICS Best Regeneration Project Award 2010

Architectural Review / MIPIM Future Projects Award 2005

PRESS COVERAGE & ARTICLES

Architects Journal October 2009

RIBA Journal November 2009

Architecture Today February 2010

Architectural Review 2005

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