Project: Totton Housing, Southampton
A former diary site that has been derelict for many years with a locally listed former farmhouse at its heart, has been absorbed into the urban sprawl of Totton, a suburb of Southampton. Surrounded by a faceless suburban townscape, we grounded our design concept for a new residential development on the idea of farmyard typology to created simple barn-like forms and materials. The scheme delivers 19 No apartments, including 2 No within the retained and restored farmhouse.
Our concept is based on reinventing a farmyard typology on this site. By retaining the existing former farmhouse and introducing two new blocks – a terrace of five family houses to the rear and a block of 12 apartments – based on barn-like forms framing a shared surface court we make coherent, farm-like assembly of buildings. Onto the main road, the new block creates two gable ends, a theme that is consistent along the road. The retained farmhouse is refurbished to provide two 2 bed apartments.
Walls are in a red brick typical of the local area, together with a matching clay tile roof with grey metal rainwater goods. Windows are grey stained timber and timber boarding and beams are in black stained ‘Platowood’. Balustrading is black painted metalwork.
The layout creates a shared surface that serves the site, while to the rear, a tarmac parking court is located adjacent to the southern boundary to maintain an open space to the rear of the adjacent properties. The design makes a positive space fronting the houses with access to small front gardens. The frontage to the main road is car-free and landscaped behind low hedges. To reflect a farmyard typology, the buildings have simple pitched roof forms with large cut-out apertures, infilled with windows and timber panels.
PROJECT DETAILS Client: Status: Contract value:
Frogmaore Ltd. Completion 2014 c. £2M
Planning Consultant:
Jerry Davies Consultancy