This development is the realisation of PCKO
Architects' winning entry for the Design for
Manufacture competition, administered by
Communities and Local Government and the Homes
and Communities Agency. Delivery of the model
scheme, which was developed by Hyde Housing
Association, has incorporated a stringent monitoring
and audit process to assess actual delivery against
the Design for Manufacture competition brief. This
assessed the scheme on cost efficiency and design
standards such as EcoHomes Very Good level,
Lifetime Homes and Building for Life.
Three house types were designed, based on the
same generic concept of living wall, flexible space and
gallery zone. The concept generates a variety of street
frontages within an overall unifying rational discipline
and with the flexibility to respond to orientation and
site-specific contexts.
At Horns Cross, the terraced homes have a simple
contemporary design with white rendered elevations
and timber feature panels. A vertical line of windows
above the glazed front door forms a glazed division
between houses. The homes range from 80 to 87 sq
m in area and are more spacious than the
competition required. At ground floor level, the houses
have a kitchen at the front and a living/dining room to
the rear. At first floor houses have two bedrooms or
two bedrooms with a study. Larger houses have a
rooflight that lets light down to the living/dining room.
The homes were constructed using a highlyrationalised
timber frame system, fabricated on site
using an innovative micro-factory system of
production. The scheme's procurement route was
innovative, with the contractor and prefabricators
involved in the design process from inception. This
partnership demonstrated that the design can provide
high quality accommodation with the potential to be a
model for further developments. |
