Overview
A corner site in a dense residential neighbourhood was redeveloped as a thirty-flat housing block for a housing association. The brief required a mix of one- and two-bedroom flats, shared amenity space, and robust materials suited to a high-traffic urban context.
Challenge & Context
The site geometry — a shallow corner plot with a significant level change — made it difficult to achieve good daylighting across all units while meeting the density required by the brief. The design had to resolve both the planning massing constraints and the internal organisation simultaneously.
Design Concept
The block steps down with the site, creating a roofscape that reduces bulk in key views while allowing south-facing terraces for upper-floor units. A shared courtyard at ground level is accessed from two points on the street grid, giving the block legible thresholds without requiring a staffed entrance.
Outcome
The block achieved planning consent on first submission and was delivered within programme. Post-occupancy feedback from the housing association noted that residents valued the courtyard as a key amenity — particularly families with children and older residents.
