Gateway Goes for Guild International Housing Design Competition

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Gateway Goes for Guild International Housing Design Competition

Firm

RCKa

Type

Residential › Multi Unit Housing

This winning proposal for a social housing scheme in Preston successfully reconciles the exacting demands of a tight site with an exciting, contemporary design.A strong, unbroken elevation onto busy Meadow Street to the south provides continuation of the urban streetscape, whilst a mews at the rear allows access and views of the historically important church of St. Ignatius. The arrangement of units on the site allows long views between dwellings and maintains distances between windows of habitable rooms. Car parking is contained within the community zone to the north, with parking courtyards for the southern houses located between those to the north, and accessible through the long rear gardens. Recycling facilities, bicycle and visitor car parking is all located within the same community zone, which also forms a strong axis with the historic church to the west of the site. A cluster of mature trees at the centre of the site are retained.External materials will be from locally-sourced brick, with detailing which references the Victorian houses in the conservation area to the west. Subtle variations in the shade of the brick will help distinguish individual homes.The scheme provides 14 new houses of various types, from 2 bed bungalows to 4 bed family houses, and employs an innovative mini-district heating system providing site-wide hot water to all dwellings whilst minimising the maintenance issues associated with social housing schemes. Each house will also be fitted with a solar thermal array.RCKa will now be working with Community Gateway Association to develop the design ready for completion in 2012.