<< back

Located on the side of a steep slope with an aspect over the Thames estuary, the development follows the building line established by the adjacent dwellings. It also takes its cue in size and scale from these surrounding buildings. The fenestration is similarly informed by the rhythm and scale of the traditional terraced housing which bound the site. The height difference across the site exceeds 12m in some places and this has informed the entry and approach as the flats are accessed at middle level over small bridges.

The living room spaces transpose the Victorian bays to lower and upper ground floor levels to maximise the internal quality of space and light. This is reinforced by the section which has been engineered to provide dramatic double-height spaces, lit by high level glazing. In tandem this provides a route for natural ventilation through the building.

The materials pallet contains Staffordshire Blue Brindle smooth bricks, Lambourne White smooth bricks, exposed in-situ concrete and a standing-seam aluminium roof. These materials reflect the contemporary spirit of the design and provide a welcome contrast to the adjacent dwellings.

A major planning concern was that the proposed development does not overlook the houses on Wickham Lane. The section was devised to reduce direct sight lines on the overlooked houses and maximise views. Overlooking is further mitigated from the rear elevation by high level windows to the kitchen areas. This is all reinforced by a planting belt of trees and shrubs which also compensates for the removal of the three existing trees on the site.

The project provides four 1-bed, six 2-bed and two 3-bed flats all with their own private garden space.

This project was highly commended in the 2007 RIBA Housing Design Awards and was completed in April 2010.