This proposal for a series of dwellings in east London is conceived as a ‘miniature terrace’. The site is a narrow strip of land owned by the Peabody Trust, which was previously occupied by garages. The terrace will be a lively community of small family homes, each with its own garden and individual character. The front elevation of each house is split into three sections, each corresponding to the proportions of a typical period terraced property. The brick facade of each section is treated with a varying degree of soot wash, further reinforcing the division and suggesting the idea of each house as a terrace in miniature.
A lighter timber finish at ground floor creates a continuous horizontal treatment, drawing inspiration from the continuous rusticated stucco commonly found to the ground floor of a traditional London terrace. Each home is designed to provide comfortable living space while adhering to space standards. Each unit is dual aspect and in several cases triple aspect. The buildings will be constructed entirely above ground, avoiding the need for costly basement retention and tanking works, and employ locally produced bricks together with carbon neutral technology in the form of a cross-laminated timber internal structure.
Renewable energy is proposed in the form of a ground source heat pump to heat the flats at the eastern end of the site. Two of the proposed houses are provided with parking spaces for wheelchair users.