What all housing developments should aspire to
Studio Partington for Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust
Contract value: £8m
GIA: 8,030m²
Derwenthorpe brings together complex ideas of identity, community, material sensibilities, public spaces and landscape into a singular harmonious place for the residents, creating a beautiful sense of place and identity.
The generosity of the public space extends to the spatial standard of the individual houses. The design team described its aims as to provide a socially and environmentally sustainable community of energy efficient homes, with incentives for lifestyle change, the promotion of community participation and long-term custodianship.
The jury says these aims have been met with great success. This project demonstrates a real and analytical commitment to sustainability. Its approach encompasses community and social wellbeing, passive design and active technologies using cutting edge techniques. Its reach goes beyond the buildings into the consideration of the local environment, in terms of water usage/attenuation/ biodiversity, as well as the types of spaces and amenities it provides for inhabitants.
All of this is underpinned by research and evaluation leading to thorough post-occupancy evaluation and sharing lessons learnt with its sister project. What all housing developments should aspire to.
Regional Project Architect Award – Adam Cornish
Regional Sustainability Award