In November 2019 Studio B.a.d where appointed to undertake a strategic over view of a key site in Waterlooville, with a view to looking at the possibility of a key housing proposal.
This feasibility study has been commissioned to review how the existing site can accommodate a series of one and two bedroom apartments, whilst enhancing the current urban condition with a positive place for people to live.
Its also an opportunity to create a new future life for the site and look toward how this environment and landscape can become a new urban place for Waterlooville.
This feasibility study seeks to review the current strengths and conditions of the existing site, whilst maximizing and exploiting the potential of the for people to live in an urban context, which will hopefully add a new layer of landscape and architecture.
The site sits to the South of London Road which is one of the main high street arteries at the center of Waterlooville. Waterlooville is a market town in Hampshire, approximately 8 miles North of Portsmouth.
The design strategy has been to review and respond to the existing conditions, which currently exist within the context of the site, but also the wider relationship to the high street. The challenge has been to look at a number of design ideas that can maximize these existing conditions and exploit the amazing potential for a future housing strategy.
A series of potential development options have been carefully created, considered and presented, looking at housing layouts and typologies, form, material and landscape that sympathetically address and sit comfortably in this context.
These options seek to address the site that’s sandwiched between Rochville Drive and London Road. The response has been to the existing urban situation, we have taken our ques from some of the vernacular nature of the surrounding building stock and have attempted to add a contemporary twist with the use of simple material's, predominately Brick and zinc pitched roofs.
The various opportunities illustrated also seek to place great importance on the quality of space and light with the various options. The varying elevated options have been carefully considered with the use of local brick and glazed element's, that respond to their aspect.
Key to the success of the housing will be to achieve a dual aspect plan arrangement and this is something we have strived to achieve. So that resident's can enjoy both North and South facing aspects. The key to the has been to center the vertical access between the various housing units.
The various proposals at all levels, seek to engage with a new proposed landscape to the South. So key to this is placing the housing along the North boundary of the site, so this frees up the South facing amenity and landscape space. This also allows for maximizing solar orientation for resident's and therefore living, dining and balcony spaces have all been place do the South faced.
The options presented are seen as a starting point to create something simple and sympathetic to the existing context of this brownfield site.