The vision for this splendid site in Redland was for houses and apartments in the contemporary style, inserted between mature trees and complementing the existing listed Georgian and Edwardian villas on the site.
The new apartment blocks are designed as twenty-first century villas, white-rendered over bases in rubble stone, which is so characteristic of this part of Bristol. They are set into the slope of the site with covered parking below. Glazed penthouses rise above the main buildings, some with circular glazed steel staircases and lofty ceiling heights, to take maximum advantage of their tree top elevation. All glazing is protected by sun screening. The nine houses have split-level arrangements and low pitched metal roofs with balconies suspended from projecting roof beams above.
The necessity to retain the existing mature trees has had a major influence on the whole design. The new buildings and access road are literally threaded between them. The front boundary treatment onto Grove Road is a replica of the existing, which again helps to settle the development into its surroundings.
Bristol Civic Society Award 2007