24

Central case studies

26 Brewery Square

30 Chapel

34 Greenwich Millennium Village

38 Iroko Housing Co-op

42 Merchant's House

46 Queen Elizabeth Square

50 Sutherland Avenue

Pedestrian-only streets and lanes are threaded through a new mixed-use urban quarter. Close to the City financial district, parking is less than 50% and contained in a singleunderground car park with separate vehicular and pedestrian access, both finely detailed.

View north up St John Street, the area's main north-south thoroughfare.

Date 2004

Developers Berkeley Homes

Architects Hamilton Associates

Building form 4 no 5 to 8 storey deep-planapartment blocks

Dwelling types 1, 2 and 3 bed flats; 6 townhouses; retail units

Density 198 homes to the hectare

Parking ratio 47%

Brewery Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1

26

Description

The scheme is built on the site of abrewery, with a group of four buildings of variable height and volume formedaround the old cobbled dray yard.

The layout is a permeable site focusedon a central landscaped square that,together with six townhouses facing asmaller court nearby, creates believablepublic spaces. The pedestrian routefrom St John Street into the squarepasses through the retained breweryarch where the drays once hauled thebarrels and the square within, accessedfrom three other narrow lanes mirroringthe dray's route, is a walled haven in thecity. The medieval street pattern aroundClerkenwell has several of theseunexpected places, and with only retailand bar/restaurant units at the streetlevel of the square(s), the schemereflects the area.

Brewery Square is all market sale, with57 affordable units, including eightwheelchair flats, on an adjacent site tothe north east built in a complementarystyle at roughly the same time.

Unsurprisingly, given the tight sitedimensions, there is a single parking

solution. 91 spaces (including 5 fordisabled drivers) are provided in anunderground basement-level car park,accessed from one point only onNorthburgh Street, giving a ratio of 47%.Pedestrian exits from the car park leadeither to the main square or to theresidential units above. The car park is

reached from an exceptionally widesingle ramp serving as both entranceand exit; a remote-controlled rollershutter door secures the car park.Although vehicles cannot drive onto thesite, there is sufficient width in (normally)pedestrian only access ways through the site for emergency services to enter.

A

Higher than average floor to ceiling heights in the underground.. Glass and stainless steel access stair brings residents up in new square.

27 English Partnerships

Brewery Square, Clerkenwell, London EC1A Off plot: underground

A translucent screen helps light the generouslyproportioned access ramp.

View of Northburgh Street gates to access ramp.

Cross-reference

See also pages 31 and 43

Notes

28

Critical commentaryCentral

No provision for visitor parking

Spaces only available to those buying on open market

Segregation of vehicles andpedestrians at street level significantlycontributes to successful publicspaces between buildings

Underground parking providescontrollable, unobtrusive solution with easy and secure access to homes above

Off plot: underground

Less than half of homes are providedwith parking space

On-street parking supplements a semi-basement-level underground, the plinth exploited to give townhouses improved privacy and on-street surveillance. How to control unallocatedspaces on street is a consideration for these blocks built close by a football stadium.

View north along central block. Townhouses are raised above Paget Street, the perimeter block's busiest side.

Date 2005

Developers Persimmon Homes with Swaythling Housing Society

Architects Chetwood Associates

Building form 3 and 4 storey orthogonal block;landscaped courtyard

Dwelling types 1 and 2 bed flats;2 bed duplexes; 3 bed townhouses

Density 90 homes to the hectare

Parking ratio 82%

Chapel, Southampton, Hampshire

30

Description

The site is close to St Mary's Stadium,home of Southampton FC. There are174 homes including 64 affordableunits with no differentiation in planaccording to tenure. But market salehomes get one parking bay either in anunderground or in an allocated bay onstreet, whereas affordable units have50% on street in unallocated bays.

Homes are arranged in three perimeterblocks aligned north south, with flats to the north, west and south edges,townhouses mostly on the busier PagetStreet to the east. Each block has asecure internal courtyard and bikestore. There are balconies projectingover the street for flats at first, secondand third storey and ground floor flatshave a small terrace to the street and aprivate back garden. Townhouses haveroof terraces.

Townhouses are entered half a storeyabove street level. This makes it harderto look into the ground floor whileenabling views from within the homesover the street, increasing theircontribution to street surveillance.Houses in the northern block are sat on a plinth over a semi-basement-level

underground car park of 50 spaces,accessed by digitally controlled openmesh roller shutters. This is approachedby driving down half a level; spaces aremarked in two opposing rows of baysand include bays for residents in themiddle block. Parking to the centralblock is entirely on street in layby style.These are in blocks of up to sevencars, arranged on all four sides of the

A

B

block including in the landscapedpublic realm enveloping the two sliproads that cross this east to west.

Allocated on-street bays are notadopted. The management companyreports disquiet that the bays are usedtoo much by non-residents, especiallyon match days. The situation is beingmonitored with controls in mind.

Cars are parked directly in front of flats on the quieter western edge. Laybys face each other in a slip road alongside landscaped public realm.

31 English Partnerships

Chapel, Southampton, Hampshire A On street: in line with pavement

Balconies project from three upper storeys over street. Building needed opposite to enclose street.

Cross-reference

See also pages 51, 73 and 125

Bin stores and bicycle store sit above ramp down to car park. Semi-basement means left side of car park has natural ventilation from courtyard.

B Off plot: underground

Access to car park clear but not crude. Wide carriageway and simple design.

Cross-reference

See also pages 27 and 43

32

Critical commentaryCentral

32 unallocated spaces to 64 homesmake limited uncontrolled parkingprovision a problem, especially giventhe proximity of a football stadium

Good surveillance of on-street parkingfrom ground floor level, multiple levelsof balconies and large windows

Good material and detailing in mostparts, with impact of parking reducedwith planting and public realm

Simple and practical solution, keepingstreet busily active

On street: in line with pavement

Only 50 secure spaces for 110 homes

Underground parking available only to those buying on open market

Underground parking providescontrollable, unobtrusive solution with easy and secure access to homes above

Scale makes underground lessunattractive than is usual

Raising townhouses on plinth good for street surveillance and defensiblespace to ground-floor windows

Off plot: underground

A high-density development where initial perimeter blocks put most parking in either alandscaped underground or a podium car park. Comparisons between the two models pointto how enveloping parking decks on all sides with real streets enhances any design.

Top floor of live-work units opens to private gardens over one half of multi-storey car park.

Date 2001 to 2003Developers Countryside

Properties/Taylor Woodrow/EnglishPartnerships

Architects (A) Proctor and Matthews: (B) Erskine Tovatt and epr

Building form (A) 2 1/2 storey and 3-4 storey: (B) Maisonettes and apartments

Dwelling types (A) Ground floor commercial with duplexes over(B) Maisonettes and apartments

Density (A) 71 (B) 292 homes to the hectare

Parking (A) 100% (B) 100%

Greenwich Millennium Village, London SE10

34

Description

GMV on the Greenwich Peninsula is asustainable community of up to 2950planned homes, 800 of which are built.This site was remediated by EnglishPartnerships which also ensured thatinfrastructure such as a Combined Heatand Power plant, schools, parks, shops,health care facilities and a wetlandsecology centre were provided early on.

There are a variety of residentialperimeter blocks including the 199 homeMaurer Court which envelops a 0.28hectare richly planted courtyard. This sitson a two-storey podium car park. Fromthe exterior of the block it is possible tosee into the podium only where it iswrapped in wooden slats. Mostly it isconcealed behind a facade of bandedbrickwork at lower level and balconiesand render above. The brickwork facesmaisonettes at lower level with doorsonto the street helping to keep it active.

The car park is well proportioned andnaturally lit through the slats and extendsto bike storage and a car washing bay.The podium is richly planted, accesseddirectly from small gardens to homes atpodium level or through sharedaccesses for apartments on other floors.

The underground is supported by onstreet parallel parking on a highwayrunning up to the riverside, from whichthere is an access to the car park.Besides this, there is little on-streetparking in the early phases. Secondaryroads running between perimeter blocksare mostly shared surfaces in paviors.The other block reviewed here has aconventionally dimensioned street, butits use is restricted. Parking to the live-

work units which form one side of thisstreet is confined to a multi-storey. Thisis neatly screened by the live-work unitson one side and by a grass bank on theother, and by cedar slats to the otherends. There is also soft landscaping overand gardens to the rear of the upperstoreys which again soften the impact of the concrete frame. However, manyresidents who park there have anindirect route back to their homes.

A

B

Shuttered access and exit to the multi-storey. Gardens sit on two-storey car park (left). Top level of three-storey car park (right).

35 English Partnerships

Greenwich Millennium Village - London SE10A Off plot: multi-storey

Vehicles access streets only to drop off or deliver. Ramp between levels in the multi-storey.

Podium is screened. Maisonettes (centre) open onto street or into courtyard. High-quality amenity space over podium.

B Off plot: podium

Access to podium car park with maisonette to left. Slatted screen to podium for light and ventilation.

Cross-reference

See also pages 57 and 79

36

Critical commentaryCentral

The aim of providing car-free streetsresults in relatively low parkingprovision and inert streetscape

Route from cars to homes is tooindirect for some residents

The car park fits neatly against thesection of the live-work units withlandscaping over and to back

Cars are moved to a secure unit toedge of site allowing streets to bepedestrianised and used for play

Off plot: multi-storey

Physical distance between car andhome is restrictive

Detailing and storey heights maketypically claustrophobic design more acceptable

Includes secure storage for 200bicycles and car wash bay

High percentage of secured andmonitored parking

Parking is wrapped in buildings tocreate active street

Parking supports high quality amenityspace above

Off plot: podium