Client: David Wilson Homes
Architects: PCKO Architects Ltd
Main contractors: David Wilson Homes
Timber frame manufacturers: Space4

• Closed panel timber frame
• High performance timber and aluminium composite windows
• Timber slatted rain screens
• Pre-fabricated bathroom pods
• ‘Living Wall’ dedicated services and storage zone
• Timber from certifiable managed sources

This scheme was the winner in a competition to produce a practical and imaginative design for housing which would comply with PPG3, Parts L and E of the Building Regulations, achieve a ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent’ EcoHomes rating and provide high quality, flexible accommodation for a family through its various lifestages.

The house layout, open plan between 2 party walls to allow flexibility and adaptability, creates a dual frontage with a ‘Light Court’ in-between which ensures all rooms benefit from natural light and ventilation and minimizes sound transmission. This will also allow different family members to ‘escape’ from each other in the two distinct halves of the building.

A ‘Living Wall’ forms a dedicated zone to accommodate storage and distribute building services, giving residents the flexibility to upgrade their IT and other facilities.

Prefabricated timber frame cassettes provide efficient construction combined with excellent insulation. Factory installed joinery reduces site operations and ensures quality.

The two private zones on the 1st and 2nd floors are clad with a timber slatted rain screen system and timber shutters open up parts of the façade to reveal ‘Rationel’ sliding doors and inward opening windows.

The ‘Light Court’ provides passive solar gains, while the most frequently occupied space of the ground floor incorporates underfloor heating, with small radiators for top-up heating on the upper floors.

The houses can be opened up to the double height ‘Light Court’ to provide natural stack effect cooling and ventilation to the bedrooms and living zones.

Although a formal EcoHomes assessment cannot be undertaken at this stage, it is estimated that these homes will achieve a rating of at least 72%, which is above the threshold of a ‘Very Good’ or ‘Excellent’ rating.