A wonderful example of an architect not letting a project fail
SKArchitects for HARP
Contract value: £696,000
GIA: 425m²
Cost per m²: £1,638/m²
This is a wonderful example of an architect, Steve Kierney, not letting a project fail. He formed his own construction company, overcoming early setbacks to deliver the project to a tight budget and timescale. And it really is changing lives, providing inspiring emergency homes for vulnerable women in the red light district of Southend.
The layout of three new blocks around a courtyard solved the problem of a restricted site and creates an appropriately sheltered, private and secure environment for residents who draw support from each other and want to distance themselves from the outside world. The buildings are colourful, simply built and carefully placed to maximise the sense of space on a leftover urban plot. HARP is a worthy Client of the Year, providing much-needed sanctuary for women who are made homeless in Southend.