The concept behind the design is to take a successful house type, the terrace, and evolve it to meet the needs of contemporary life, both in terms of lifestyle and the wider environment.

A primary reason for using a terrace is the high density that can be created. Most town and city centre living has historically been via the terraced house, which allows generous accommodation to be fitted onto a small site, and typically with excellent pedestrian access to local amenities.

This design recreates this density, and at the same time increases the ecology of the site and community. Gardens and roof terraces offer green space on all external horizontal surfaces. These can be planted or potted and have a water filtration system to re-use surface water falling on them.

The terrace house is also secure as access to the rear is not possible and the front is usually well viewed by neighbouring properties.

The stronger sense of community created by terracing is enhanced here by the addition of shared facilities including recreation, recycling, gardening and electric car and cycle storage. The street arrangement places an emphasis on the person, rather than the car.

The elevational treatment of the house is based on the internal arrangement of rooms, with an emphasis on the vertical nature of the building. It is minimal and straightforward with a proportion to match historic terracing but a clear lack of decoration. Render is the primary material.

A zero carbon home for life is the driving principle behind this house. This makes the house functional to a wide variety of user, and in a way that has minimum impact upon the environment. The design is also intended to be spatially exciting with changes in level, interesting external decks and large amounts of natural light, ultimately creating a desirable and comfortable home.

The technologies used include:
• Ground source heat pump to underfloor heating system
• Solar electricity generation
• Rainwater harvesting via deck filtration systems
• Grey water recycling
• Natural solar gain via rear windows
• Stack ventilation via glazed stairwell
• Massive insulation within twin stud wall construction
• Breathable structure
• Community recycling and waste area
• Community garden and play area
• Shared cycle and car storage (with electric car)
• Cabled home hub system (to avoid issue of wireless network pollution)

Construction is generally:
• Locally sourced materials where possible
• FSC timber products
• BRE approved materials
• Beam and recycled aggregate block ground floor
• 40mm self levelling screed
• Timber upper floors with recycled concrete soffit inserts for thermal mass
• Prefabricated dual skin timber frame
• Blown paper insulation between studs
• Single ply roof with timber deck
• Timber and aluminium composite windows and doors

It is anticipated the house could achieve Code for Sustainable Homes level 6 (zero carbon) with suitable detail added. Environmental aspects include:
• Rain water use
• Grey water re-use
• Recycling in the house and via community facility
• Self sufficient heating and cooling via GSHP and stack effect
• Photovoltaic roof panels
• High natural lighting levels
• Provision of electric car, garaging and plug-in to shared off-site power supply

© British Homes Awards |  Site design: LW design