A design that takes account of the design restraints presented by most housing sites, where slopes, corners, sightlines and the need for variety make a single repeated house type unlikely. Its base plan is adaptable for terraced or detached layouts, and two, three or four bedrooms. Flat-roofed interlinking side units deal with curves and slopes.

Design

Designed to cope flexibly with different site conditions, a menu of sustainable design tactics ensures that the homes have adequate daylighting and passive solar heating irrespective of their orientation. The homes can also can be built with a variety of elevations and pitched or curved roofs, to respond to local materials or preferences. South-facing houses would include a full-height wintergarden to provide a buffer of warm air to the living spaces for most of the year. An innovative services wall incorporates all plumbing, drainage, and the ventilation ducts for the heat-recovery system. A roof-mounted wind turbine can both generate electricity and drive fresh air through the house in summer.

Technical

Concrete floor and exposed concrete soffits increase thermal mass
Sedum roof increases biodiversity and reduces water run-off after heavy rain.
“Superinsulated” cavity walls with a 300 mm thickness of insulation

Innovation

Suitable for both low and high density sites, but uses a single construction system – an advantage for housebuilders

© British Homes Awards |  Site design: LW design