Our planning approved proposals for the site demonstrate the way in which carefully considered design can overcome significant constraints and provide a high quality living environment for the residents of the development. The approval includes 64 new homes across a range of tenures and includes seven 3-bedroom family duplex homes.
The site was occupied by the St Olaves nursing home and formed a part of the historic Rotherhithe Hospital complex. Subsequent development has changed the nature of the area, with larger scale civic buildings along the main frontage of Lower road. Residential domestic scaled buildings are more typical to the rear of the site, along the Ann Moss Way frontages. The L-shaped site had a number of significant constraints, the site orientation, some challenging boundary issues, a flood zone 2 rating and a number of large scale trees both within and adjacent to the site.
At the early stages of the commission Stockwool tested a range of approaches to the development of the site and these were tested in relation to the client brief and our own analysis of the relative merits, these included townscape studies to assess the impacts on the sensitive setting. The preferred solution was supported by the Borough in the pre-application discussions, the two buildings have a similar identity, they are based on offset extruded forms which break up the overall mass of the buildings and relate to the finer urban grain of the setting. These strong forms are stepped in section to work within the townscape and sun/daylight constraints of the site.
Working within these clearly defined forms the two buildings provide a range of high quality housing typologies, open plan dual aspect one and two bedroom homes within the Lower road building and 3 bedroom scissor flats in the more residential street known as Ann Moss Way. The scissor flats have direct street access via a small front garden, they also have a rear patio area to the rear of the block with bedroom spaces at first floor level overlooking the street.
The two buildings which are set around a courtyard space, this arrangement mirrors the urban form of the adjacent development. The courtyard space is accessible to all residents and the focal point of the development for visitors, passerby and the residents of the development. The flats have been designed to provide an intimate relationship between the living space, the private amenity spaces and the courtyard itself.
Client Peabody
Location Southwark
Planning Authority London Borough of Southwark
Value £15m