22 December 2011

ATA shortlisted for Hackney co-housing project


ATA is one of the five practices shortlisted to design proposals for the Hackney Co-housing Project. HCP in partnership with Hanover Housing Association are looking at a site to build 15 new homes ranging from one-bedroom flats to four bedroom family houses, a common house and other shared facilities such as vegetable gardens, bike shed and kids play area.

ATA's design draws from our experience of working with other co-housing groups as well as Anne's first hand experience of being an active co-housing group member. Individual and office trips to other co-housing schemes in the Netherlands, Austria, Scandinavia and the UK have been incredibly inspirational and useful in understanding important design considerations of this way of living which combines self-contained dwellings with more shared areas.
Our proposals are particularly focussed on residents' involvement, collaboration, knitting together with the existing urban fabric and respond specifically to this tight residential site. Two volumes, one of houses with south facing balconies and the other a low block of private courtyard flats overlook a large shared square. More public amenities such a bike storage, recycling and parking are close to the street whilst at the very rear of the site, an orchard provides a more secluded private open space. Every dwelling has a direct view of the common house. Views, gradation of private and public space and the dwellings' adaptability to change were important when developing different layouts and the spaces between them.
In collaboration with Hugh Griffiths from E3 Consulting Engineers we looked at a Passivhaus fabric first approach, with minimum heating requirements, simple, user-friendly services and renewables. Also on our team are Engineers ERW and Studio Engleback.

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