Sites for new affordable housing are often challenging; in creating 62 high quality new homes for One Housing Group, Fraser Brown MacKenna had to overcome a complex, overlooked, landlocked former industrial site in Hackney. We were appointed by One Housing Group to develop the former light-industrial site. The brief was to maximise the number of high quality homes, providing not only affordable housing but also a care and support facility for residents with mild learning disabilities. Our challenge was to deliver the requirements of the brief within the complex geometry of the site whilst minimising impact on the surrounding homes. A backland site with minimal street frontage, we arranged the new homes around two courtyards; Saxony Court is accessed from Geldeston Road with access to the larger Hazlitt Court from Northwold Road. We located Salvesen House, the care and support facility along Narford Road. Buildings range in height from one to four storeys and are orientated so to minimise impact on the surrounding homes. A range of strategies have been used to prevent overlooking, including solar and privacy shading using timber screens, the use of high level and carefully orientated windows.
The landscape, by MESH Landscape Architects, is critical to the success of the development – soft landscaping including trees, shrubs and climbing plants will in time create a green oasis within each of the courtyards, enhancing the spatial quality of the development and creating a natural buffer to the surrounding gardens. On Northwold Road, a gatehouse announces the entrance to the largest courtyard, expressed in a dark grey brick in contrast to the surrounding terrace. The ground floor provides vehicular access for the two wheelchair accessible apartments only – the development is entirely car free. The majority of homes are clad in light brick and timber; providing a subtle and natural outlook from the surrounding homes. The development, designed by Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects and MESH Landscape Architects, provides sixty two new apartments, including an eighteen bedroom care and support facility and gained planning permission in March 2010. The new homes were built under a design and build contract, let to Mullaley, and were completed in 2012.
PROJECT DETAILS:
Architects: Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects Location: Hackney, E5 8RD Type Of Project: 62 new homes Structural Engineers: n/a Project Architect: Simon Fraser, Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects Design Team: Siu Pei Choi & Johan Swanepoel, Fraser Brown MacKenna Architects Client: One Housing Group Funding: Part private funds part HCA grant Tender date: July 2010 Start on site date: January 2011 Contract duration: 18 months Gross internal floor area: 5,000 sqm. Site: 0.32 ha Form of contract and/or procurement: Partnering contract Total cost: £6,509,800 Quantity surveyor: BPP Construction Consultants Planning supervisor: BPP Construction Consultants Main contractor: Mullaley and Company Limited Selected subcontractors and suppliers: Landscape – MESH Partnership Annual co2 emissions: Code for Sustainable Homes Level 3