Sustainability Award winner Hope St Housing by MDC Architects & Officer Woods has been recognised in the Multi-Residential Dwelling category.

The team sits down with Clémence Carayol, Digital Editor at Architecture & Design, to discuss this prestigious accolade.

Architecture & Design: Why do you think you were honoured for your entry?

The project was premised around some fundamental sustainable principles; orient 100% of dwellings to the north to manage solar exposure, all are cross ventilated and thermal mass is used to stabalise internal temperatures. Further, the masterplan design was a landscape lead approach, ensuring all dwellings had equitable access to decent gardens, deep soil zones for trees and the common areas were generous and green resulting in an increased sense of community within and around the development.

What did your entry add to the body of knowledge of sustainable design?

Our entry looks back to tried and tested sustainable design methodologies that are more focused on climate responsive design rather than additive technology to create comfortable homes. It proves that we can design and build all of our homes affordably and still ensure they have no loss of amenity nor the need to rely on mechanical heating/cooling.

Has your entry influenced the way you will design buildings in the future?

Yes, the scheme establishes a clear set of rules for how we could look to do respectful and sympathetic density within a typically low-rise suburban setting. At the end of the day, each project will be site and context-responsive, though this project proves that starting with a clear set of sustainability targets, and a landscape first approach, it is possible to provide 100% of dwellings with a good, comfortable living environment.

This category is sponsored by Electrolux.

Image: Hope St Housing/MDC Architects & Officer Woods

Clémence Carayol

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