Architect, Urban Designer, & Director
Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland Excellence Awards – Building Successful Communities Award in Regeneration, Saltire Housing Design Awards – Large Scale Housing Development (Commendation)
This award-winning affordable housing development created a high quality new neighbourhood, regenerating a site that was formerly occupied by multi-story tower blocks.
The site is within an established residential area of the city and was to be developed within the first phase of The City of Edinburgh Council’s ’21st Century Homes’ initiative to provide new affordable housing. It sits within the context of a historic listed building and involved extensive community consultation to arrive at a design that met the needs of local people.
A considered layout of the site prioritises views to the listed Gracemount House and retains the existing mature trees to form a prominent avenue along the site. To create a high quality, open and safe shared street, bike and bin storage areas were integrated into the buildings, with both hard and soft landscaping features being used to slow vehicle movements.
Residents of the housing benefit from private gardens and balconies, as well as a new play park to help foster a sense of community. The use of varied roof forms, window treatments and door colours combine to create a unique place, which is tied together by the use of the same brick across the homes.
