The daily telegraph
British Homes Awards 2011
SPONSORED BY BRITISH GAS

DESIGN BRIEF: "TOMORROW'S TOWNHOUSE" COMPETITION

Drawing inspiration from the style, functionality and energy efficiency of the 2010 British Homes Awards' winning Velux CarbonLight Home, the 2011 design competition in partnership with RIBA, FutureForm, BRE, MBE KTN and the New Homes Marketing Board invited architects to design "Tomorrow's Townhouse" up to code level 5 with interiors that allow occupants to maintain a 21st Century lifestyle as they grow older.

The designs submitted embrace FutureForm's innovative light gauge steel, volumetric, energy efficient modular construction system, the flexibility of which is best exemplified by the outstanding CUB House (recently opened at The BRE Innovation Park) and, to be sustainable, renewable heat technology.

The design brief is available to download here

ENTRIES CLOSED: Friday 13th MAY 2011

Q&A

Q. The brief for this competition states: "Plot size: Maximum footprint: 55 sq m (plus or minus 10 sq m)."

Is this a reference to the size of the overall plot, including any external or garden space, or it is a reference just to the footprint of the house itself, with any external space to be added?

A. This size is specific to the footprint of the house and not including garden space.

Q. Standard Competition Conditions

(6.0 Type of house) four storeys: are these to be four full floors or room-in-the-roof top floor with a reduced footprint?
A. Four Full Floors
(6.0 Type of house) Footprint: is the maximum 65m2 and the minimum 45m2?
A. Footprint: Max 65m2 and Minimum 45m2
(6.0 Type of house) does the integral garage have to be part of the 4 storey 55m2 footprint or can it be single storey attached to the main house?
A. The garage can be either but given space restrictions normally applicable within urban developments an integral garage would be the preferred option.
(6.0 Type of house) If external to the main house footprint, is the integral garage included in the 55/65m2 area?
A. If integral the garage would be included within the specified footprint.
Can the garage be below the ground level as a addition to the 4 storeys?
A. Yes
(6.0 Design) Live/work option: is this to be within the footprint of the four storey house or can it be an external/lean-to structure of one or two storeys?
A. The live/work option is to demonstrate the flexibility of the internal design and therefore should be within the footprint
(6.0 Design) Live/work option: If external to the main house footprint i.e. an annex, is the live/work area included in the 55/65m2 footprint area?
A. As above, the live /work functionality is integral within the footprint
Entry cost - the RIBA website indicates £100 and the awards documents say £360?
A. The entry fee for the design competition is £100 inclusive of vat.
Brief indicates - 4 storeys - does this include room in a roof space and or space on a flat roof?
A. The brief is four storeys- but you have the option to include a room in roof
Plot size to be 55m2. Is this the footprint of the building or the plot on which the building stands?
A. The brief stipulates a footprint of 55 m2 plus or minus 10%. This is the building's footprint, irrespective of plot dimensions.
Is it code level 4 or 5 again some info differs?
A. Up to Code level 5 with the specification of micro-renewables to move from Code 4 to 5. A code level 4 design would still be eligible for the competition
What are the requirements regarding the affordability? Do we have to meet all requirements of Affordable Housing Scheme Development Standards?
A . No Affordable Housing Scheme Development Standards have to be met
What does the plot include? Parking? Amenity Space? Does the external parking need to be provided?
A . The design competition specifies a building footprint of 55m2 plus or minus 10% .As the brief also includes the provision of parking and/or garage for one car this should be included within the design submission. No other external parking needs to be included
Does the code level of sustainability need to be assessed?
A . The judges will look for the fabric and micro renewable specification : your calculations will not be rigorously assessed
Is there a minimum GIA?
A. No prescription whatsoever on GIA (Gross Internal Area) : but as we are looking for a holistic, contemporary living space would suggest that consideration is given to light expansive spaces

Q. Futureform Building Specification

A. There is a web link – www.futureformltd.com/bha - to pdfs of the technical information for our system and Futureform product range which will provide the information you require.

We have downloaded the guidance but it is not clear how a staircase is integrated into the system modules: is any other guidance available i.e. a typical layout and sections?
A. Voids can be created within the floor and ceilings of the modules to install stairs through. They can be pre-installed in the modules at the assembly plant if at all possible, sometimes with joining section where they pass from one module to another.
Ditto roof
A. Roofs can either be formed from cold formed steel or timber framed roofs can be placed on top of the upper FF modules. Loft hatch or other openings required into the roof space can also be created in the ceilings of the modules below.
What are the maximum module sizes? i.e. L x W x H
Can non-rectilinear (e.g. angles or curves) be included in either plan or section?
A. All of the modules we design & use in our projects are specifically sized and shaped for the individual project concerned. We don't make standard sizes.
Our modules are made in a 3D Jig and the walls can be vertical or sloped or dog-legged (like a mansard) on all four sides, if required. End walls can also be canted - i.e you can slope the walls like a rhombus at one end or both. To create curved walls, we simply build out in facetted panels to create the curve. Or for oofs, we can slope the ceiling and then build off that to create a curve (see details on our website for our project at Birchway Eco Community, Hayes)
Ceilings can also slope in more than one direction and holes or openings of up to 2m's in width can be provided on all 4 sides without additional major strengthening. Larger openings can still be formed but with the addition of hot-rolled steel sections which add to the normal cost. Modules can also be "L" shaped by taking a corner out of a module and strengthening either side of the opening.
All you have to ensure is that the modules are able to be transported and that generally means that they have to be less than 15 m's long overall, 4.2m's wide and normally less than 3.5m's high. Lrger than this means that the load has to escorted and often access into sites with loads larger that this can be difficult.

You can download the Code for Sustainable Homes Guidelines using the link below:

Code for Sustainable Homes pdf

BHA RSS FEED