Special Award :
Housing AwardLevel of Award:
Special AwardRegion:
Greater LondonLocal Authority Area:
Hammersmith & FulhamEntrant:
Cartwright PickardArchitect:
Cartwright Pickard Architects and B+C ArchitectesDeveloper:
Octavia Housing and CareLandscape Designer:
Grant AssociatesServices Engineer:
Atelier TenContractor:
Como HomesPrimary Use Class:
C3 Dwelling HousesThis courageous scheme is the result of a competition run by CABE. Providing 78 affordable homes for families and key workers, the development occupies a previously run down and contaminated brownfield site. The site provides major challenges , being sandwiched between the blank wall of a massive retail development and traditional terraced housing. The scheme successfully creates a sequence of public mews areas and private gardens, which sensitively integrate with the existing housing. The development creates an imaginative interpretation of the traditional London mews and is crisply detailed and impeccably built. The cantilevered blocks which overhang the access road, and the cutaway upper level terraces are successful and offer generous terraces and bold entrances to the maisonettes. All of the dwellings have either a balcony, terrace or roof garden. The timber cladding is warm and welcoming, and the brightly coloured panels are strong and attractive. Energy efficiency is an important theme of the design. A combined heat and power plant generates electricity on site, providing space heating and hot water for each of the homes. The streetscape creates a positive atmosphere and good neighbourhood streets, giving the area character and personality. This is a lively and exciting approach to a very difficult public realm site.