Preston Park Contemporary housing scheme
Location:Preston Park, Brighton
Description:A pair of new build semi detached town houses
Client:Home Sussex Limited
Approximate Cost:Confidential
Preston Park Contemporary housing scheme
The development consists of a conversion and extension of a dilapidated Victorian villa to form 6 apartments along with two new build houses to the rear.
The Victorian Villa conversion is a sensitvie historic, conservation proposal, which seeks to presrve and enhance the original Victorian structure whilst providing a mix contemporary dwellings. The proposal re-instates an important Victorian Villa within the Preston Park Conservation area. Additionally, Planning approval has been granted at Appeal for two, three bedroom semi detached houses to the rear of the Victorian Villa. The houses are constructed from a pale local brick and are designed to express the structural aspects – This is primarily based on a rythym of structural pilasters and steel beams, along with expressed internal ceiling joists and lanterns. The structural expression references to a utilitarian functional aesthetic but this off set with a series of textured brickbonds and contemporary fenestration. The houses take advantage of thee upward topography to form a stepped arrangement with the bedrooms on the lower parts and the open Living accomodation to the upper level with duel east / west aspect on glazed lantern to the circulation core. Additional key design features include.
- The flat roofs are covered in a green roof hidden behind a parapet wall and planted with sedum and wild grassess. The green roof encourages site biodiversity whilst helping with surface water attenuation.
- A number of biodiversity meares are install to provide potential homes for bats and swifts along with a series of Bee bricks.
- Landscaped buffers have been introduced to soften the edge between the garden and the newly converted flats to the west. This is also helped with the natural topography of the site.
- The proposed planting scheme to the gardens includes native shrubs and perennials and is designed to improve the biodiversity of the site.
- Hard landscaping has been minimised and free draining permeable paving has been used for the primary access. All surface water is retained on site and drained via a series of soak-aways.
- The Carbon footprint has been considered at an early stage of the design and has formed a basis for the choice of materials pallette. Where ever possible, the design has opted for naturally load bearing elements and by using the structural capacity of the brick work, we have minimised the use of steel work to an absolute minimum. Where ever possible, timber has been specified and is to be locally sourced.
- External walls and glazing are highly insulated with a central Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) system providing effecient, sustainable heating and hot water throughout.
- Passive solar gain has been utilies within the deisgn along with a passive cross venitilation system.
Preston Park Contemporary housing scheme provide effective use of a brownfield site to form two modern houses within a historic conservation area.
