Creating Communities by Bell Phillips

Creating Communities

Contents About us...

Uplifting 6 Progressive 8 Respectful 10 Community-built genuinely-affordable homes

Prototype housing for older residents

Contemporary homes in the Lisson Grove Conservation Area

New homes on a celebrated modernist housing estate

Reinvigorating a vibrant Central London quarter

A new mixed-use district in Gothenburg

Finding place in a challenging context

Comprehensive estate regeneration in West London

About us... Founded

2004

Located

Wapping, London

Team

35 strong

Awards Architect of the Year | Winner 2023 Architecture Today | Winner 2023 Civic Trust | Winner 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 RIBA National | Winner 2016, 2022 Housing Design | Winner 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022 New London | Winner 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021 Clients Argent, Lendlease, Peabody, 17 London Boroughs including Southwark, Westminster and Tower Hamlets, Get Living, Igloo, Backhouse, Be First, Pegasus Life, Pocket Living, British Land, The Skinners’ School, Kent College Canterbury, Dartford Grammar, Empiric Student Housing Frameworks Notting Hill Genesis, Southwark, Bloom, Clarion, Catalyst Peabody, Perfect Circle, L&Q, GLA A+U Panel

Uplifting We create places people love We believe in the power of architecture to provide sustainable and inspiring places that everyone should thrive and benefit from. Our strong social and moral purpose drives us to use our expertise as architects to make a tangible impact on people’s quality of life.

Progressive We build for a positive future Our design approach is progressive, responsive to the changing world, continuously evolving but always underpinned by our commitment to create a better life for everyone in society. We create beautifully crafted architecture that responds positively to its surroundings, that challenges convention and creates future legacy.

Respectful Community, collaborators and the planet We pride ourselves on our proactive and enthusiastic approach to build constructive relationships with everyone we have the pleasure to meet. We strive to make the process enjoyable and lead each project with a sensitive ear and collaborative mindset because we believe people make places.

Communitybuilt genuinelyaffordable homes Marklake Court This development of 27 new flats and maisonettes on the site of existing garages on Weston Street, SE1 represents an entirely new ground-up approach to affordable housing delivery. Residents on the Kipling Estate, frustrated by overcrowding within existing homes and the lack of new affordable housing in the local area, identified an underutilised garage site, established a community benefit society (Leathermarket CBS), obtained funding and formulated a brief. The brief itself was borne out of a housing needs study undertaken across the estate that would see under-occupying older residents moving into the new building, thereby establishing a ‘chain of benefit’ as larger dwellings become released for families. The design was shaped through extensive local consultation, undertaken over more than a year. Every aspect of the design, from the overall massing, through to flat layouts, materials, finishes and window sizes have been developed through close discussion with the local community. Particular consideration has been placed on developing a strong sense of community with a roof terrace, communal garden and generous communal entrances designed to encourage social interaction between residents.

Project

Marklake Court

Location

London Bridge, Southwark

Client

Leathermarket Community Benefit Society

Project Cost

Undisclosed

Status RIBA Stage Awards

Prototype housing for older residents

Greenwich Housing The Housing Services Department at Royal Borough of Greenwich identified an acute need for affordable, single storey dwellings for people over 60 years of age. This is due to an increasingly aged population and a general insufficient supply of available housing which is specifically designed to cater for this user group. In parallel to this, the Council owns many small garage sites around the Borough which are not well used, or even semi derelict in some instances. Some of these sites have a tendency to attract anti-social behaviour, and none of them provide a positive contribution to the townscape. With these two issues in mind, the Council was granted funding to construct new dwellings on six small sites across the Borough. We developed a prototype single storey house that can be arranged in alternative layouts on different sites throughout the Borough. A monopitch roof with extensive glazing provides a good quality of height, space and natural light regardless of orientation. The additional height provided by this roof form allows the houses to sit comfortably within different urban situations and provides a generous double height space internally.

Project

Greenwich Housing

Location

Multiple sites, Greenwich

Client

Royal Borough of Greenwich

Project Cost

Undisclosed

Status Completed 2015 Awards

“It is good to see a local authority commission housing directly, and to such a high standard that demonstrates an intelligent, holistic mind-set raising the quality of streetscape through contemporary design” Civic Trust Awards Programme

Contemporary homes in the Lisson Grove Conservation Area Cosway Street Located in the Lisson Grove conservation area adjacent to the Grade 2* listed Christ Church, this residential scheme proposes 51 new apartments and penthouses arranged around a landscaped communal garden, alongside two family terraced houses on Ashmill Street. Taking inspiration from the surrounding late Victorian and Georgian terraces and Christ Church, the design reinstates the historic street frontage thereby reinforcing the character of the conservation area. Facades of fluted brick facades that subtly vary in dimension and tone of brick reflect the rhythms and proportions of the surrounding streets in a design that is contemporary yet rooted in its context. The dwellings are designed to be open plan to maximise daylight to all spaces with high ceilings and generous living space throughout. The project, for Westminster City Council, is part of the Church Street Masterplan.

Contemporary homes in the Lisson Grove Conservation Area The fluted brick facades are designed to be contemporary response to the rhythms, proportions, tones and colours of the surrounding Victorian and Georgian buildings. The fluted motif is inspired by the fluted columns of the adjacent Grade II* Listed Christ Church. The studies below demonstrate how the brick flutes vary on the different elevations in response to the adjacent buildings giving the proposed building both consistency and sensitivity.

Cosway Street

Shroton Street

Bell Street

Project

Cosway Street

Location

Marylebone, London

Client

Westminster City Council

Project Cost Undisclosed Status Under construction Awards Housing Design Awards 2019 | Winner

New homes on a celebrated modernist housing estate Orwell House This is one of five projects undertaken for Tower Hamlets to provide new housing on sites across the borough, comprising 135 affordable homes on infill sites within existing estates. Three of these developments are now completed, with a fourth currently under construction. Orwell House, located on Lubetkin’s Dorset Estate in Hoxton, incorporates 20 new council homes for social rent. The wedge-shaped building overlooks the adjacent Ravenscroft Park with a rooftop terrace offering communal amenity space with panoramic views. The wedge-shaped building has GRC panels that echo the tone and chequerboard pattern of the existing estate.

Project

Orwell House

Location

Bethnal Green, London

Client

London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Project Cost Undisclosed Status Completed 2020 Awards

ew London Award 2021 | Shortlisted N AJ Award 2021 | Shortlisted Housing Design Award 2021 | Shortlisted

The pink glass-reinforced concrete (GRC) balcony screens of the new building take inspiration from Lubetkin’s experiments in employing weaving patterns to soften the impact of large facades that are utilised on the adjacent buildings. The tone of the GRC relates to the colours of the surrounding estate whilst complementing the trees and planting of the adjoining Ravenscroft Park.

The facetted chequerboard design of the screen adds depth, light and shade, giving life to the elevation as the light changes throughout the day. The facetted screen embeds the new building in the context of the surrounding estate whilst allowing the new building to be a striking contemporary addition.

Clay facing brick, Vandersanden Antro

Steel support frame

Red-pigmented, glass reinforced concrete panel

Concrete paving slabs

Timber aluminium composite window system, Rationel auraPlus

Galvanised steel, zigzag format balustrade

Exposed concrete soffit, with Keim mineral paint finish

Reinvigorating a vibrant Central London quarter Sites A, B & C, Church Street Westminster City Council on Church Street comprising 1,100 mixed-tenure homes, public realm, a library, retail, workspace and infrastructure supporting the market. We have obtained detailed consent for the first of the three plots comprising over 400 homes, a library, public realm, retail space and infrastructure supporting the market with outline consent for the other two plots. Economic, environmental and social sustainability are key to the proposals. The design seeks to provide resilience to the local area through the support of the street market and provision of affordable retail and workspace. New public amenity space, a new library and community space will contribute to social cohesion whilst existing residents will be given the opportunity to return to a new home providing that the existing community stays in place. The homes are designed to be low energy to address fuel poverty incorporating high levels of insulation and airtightness, triple-glazed windows, PVs, air-source heat pumps and MVHR. Over 90% of dwellings are designed to be dual aspect.

(%)

7.6 28.6 39.1

Reinvigorating a vibrant Central London quarter all children (0-15) (%)

14.7 18.9 20.0 22.5

working people (16-64) (%)

63.2 63.8 68.6 73.9

older people (65+) (%)

11.4 13.8 17.8

Project

Sites A, B & C, Church Street

Location

Edgware Road, London

Client

Westminster City Council

Project Cost

Undisclosed

Status Hybrid planning consent

BAME (%)

14.5 38.3 40.2 61.7

first Awards english is N ew language London Award 202312.9 |4.4 of no oneShortlisted in household 22.4 27.2 (%)

(£)

employment rate (16-24) (%)

dependant children (0-18) in out-of-work-households (%)

15.4 16.3 18.4 34.5

17.6 24.1 25.9 55.8

households open rented space private (%) (%)

16.7 24.8 7.6 25.1 28.6 39.7 39.1

63.2

older people (65+) (%)

48.7 66.1 69.2 71.2

England 414 London 5,293 Westminster 10,286

population density households (person per owned sq km) (%)

all children (0-15) (%)

BAME (%)

Church St 16.8 29,750 30.6 48.2 63.5

14.7 18.9 20.0 22.5

14.5 38.3 40.2 61.7

households social rented (%)

working people (16-64) (%)

63.8 68.6 73.9

english is first language of no one in household (%)

11.4 13.8 17.8

4.4 12.9 22.4 27.2

Reinvigorating a vibrant Central London quarter Sites A, B & C, Church Street Sustainable design has been considered as a central part of the design process from the start, working closely with the energy consultant to deliver on the client’s ambition of a net zero carbon scheme. • 100% of homes are dual aspect with all flats and circulation areas having a view of green space • 50% of homes are affordable tenure and all existing residents are re-provided with new homes in the new development • High levels of airtightness and insulation ensure the scheme achieves the Passivhaus standard of 15kWh/m2.yr heating demand • An innovative ambient loop energy system will provide low carbon heating and cooling ensuring that the LETI EUI target of 35kWh/m2 is met to deliver a net zero carbon development • A new garden street helps deliver an urban greening factor exceeding 0.4 • Community assets such as the Church Street market and library have been prioritised to ensure continuity of service throughout construction

A new mixed-use district in Gothenburg District Bearing The site is a factory complex in the north of Gothenburg, comprising a series of beautiful industrial buildings alongside the river Savean. It was originally built in phases during the first half of the 20th century and has been a focus for the working and cultural life of many people in the area, but the ball bearing factory has now been replaced by more modern facilities nearby. We have worked closely with Stena Fastigheter and Gothenburg City Council to develop a place-making vision for the future of the site, together with a framework to set out how this can be achieved. This work has been informed by researching the best examples of industrial regeneration projects in Europe, in parallel with a detailed assessment of the site’s history, fabric and context. The development includes around a thousand new homes, a linear park alongside the river, and renovation of the most interesting existing buildings to provide workspace, cultural, retail and education facilities. The intention is to breathe new life into the site by revealing the history and character of the factory complex, making it an exciting new destination, and playing a pivotal role in the regeneration of northern Gothenburg.

Project

District Bearing

Location

Gothenburg, Sweden

Client

Stena Fastigheter

Project Cost

Undisclosed

Status RIBA Stage 2

Finding place in a challenging context St. Chad’s St. Chad’s was the first project to be procured through Thurrock Council’s new wholly owned company, Thurrock Regeneration, to revitalise the local area. The scheme comprises 128 new homes, a mix of two, three and four bed houses giving new life to a redundant and underused plot. Within this layout three different street typologies have been developed; avenue, street and mews, each of which has its own character, dimension and housing typology in order to define a clear sense of place throughout the development. One of the two avenues is a linear green park that provides important amenity spaces as well as sustainable drainage system for the site in this low-lying area of the Thames estuary. The linear park is aligned on distant views of the cranes of Tilbury docks, a reminder of the town’s heritage.

Finding place in a challenging context St Chad’s The design of the development is structured around three key placemaking concepts; • A grid pattern of streets that links with the existing mid20th century street pattern. • A sequence of public spaces arranged diagonally through the street layout, connecting with surrounding farmland. • A diagonal swathe of green space angled to focus on the distant views of the cranes, so that the new development is strongly linked to the identity of Tilbury.

Project

St Chad’s

Location

Tilbury, Thurrock, Essex

Client

Thurrock Regeneration Ltd (Thurrock Council)

Project Cost

£27 million

Status Completed 2017 Awards

“They could show the housebuilders a thing or two about placemaking, even in areas of low house values and little investment. These are houses that would be prized and pampered in more privileged parts of the UK.” RIBA judging panel citation, 2018

Comprehensive estate regeneration in West London Convent Way Estate

Comprehensive estate regeneration in West London Convent Way Estate The proposals for the Convent Way Estate feature a landscape-led masterplan, that creates a sustainable neighbourhood providing up to 967 new homes built to Passivhaus standards (resulting in 69% improvement on Part L), generous public realm and shared amenity connected via a green and blue ecological loop, a new local retail and community heart, and improved connectivity through the creation of a new neighbourhood lane. Beginning with Phase A, which has been submitted as a detailed design proposal, 117 affordable homes will be introduced to the estate, providing existing residents with a seamless transition and the opportunity to stay within their community as the subsequent phases begin. With 85% of the resident ballot favouring the regeneration, the estate will transform in phases to ensure that existing residents will only move once into a new home. Each phase of the development has been designed in direct response to discussions with residents during a series of successful consultations and will provide a range of homes to meet different needs alongside new parks and play to ensure easy access for all.

“What we have put together is remarkable and will have a huge impact on our society and community. Being part of it for me has been a badge of honour and something I am happy to be part of.” Ahmed Mohammed, current resident

Comprehensive estate regeneration in West London Convent Way Estate The landscape-led approach for Convent Way has used the Metropolitan Green Belt as a catalyst to create distinct neighbourhoods that are positioned around a series of attractive green communal spaces and connected by a high-quality public realm. In order to improve pedestrian connections and equality of access, Convent Way was transformed. A shared cycle and pedestrian footway and safe crossings were added to create links to the currently poorly used public Green Belt park to the south. A new neighbourhood lane was incorporated, improving permeability for all residents to the new high quality parks and play spaces. Supporting Hounslow’s climate emergency declaration, the scheme addresses fuel poverty within the estate reducing operational carbon by 69% compared with Building Regulations. All homes are to be designed to Passivhaus standard and certification. The design will achieve net-zero carbon and has to aligned its energy targets with the RIBA 2030 climate challenge. Embodied carbon targets have been established for the development that will improve with each phase.

Bell Phillips Architects Ltd Unit 305 Metropolitan Wharf 70 Wapping Wall London E1W 3SS 020 7234 9330 www.bellphillips.com