16 terraced flats located within a confined and challenging site.
2010 - 2012
New Build Social Housing
Complete
Hjaltland Housing Association
Lerwick, Shetland
2100 m²
£ 1.6 M
DITT Construction Ltd
Richard Gibson Architects, Phatsheep Photography
2012: Saltire Housing Design Awards - Small Scale Housing Development - Award
2012: I.A.A Awards - New Buildings - Winner
2011: FMB Energy Efficiency Scotland Award - Energy Efficiency | Contractor's Award - Award
"Richard Gibson Architects have designed houses for the Association for more than 35 years. In that time they have provided a varied range of housing schemes which have been designed to fit into their surroundings and enhance the local environment. They have worked on some of the Association’s most prominent and successful developments, being nominated and winning a number of design awards for their work. They continue to bring new ideas, technologies and design principles to each project. We have enjoyed working with them in the past and look forward to many more successful future projects."
/ Paul Leask
Property Manager, Hjaltland Housing Association
The practice was commissioned to design flats to fit within this complex site which included boundary issues on all sides, traffic noise and a sloping site, mostly below the permitted sea flood level.
The site issues were addressed using a terraced block of flats which followed the street curve, and slope of the hill. This gives the scheme its distinctive appearance and strengthens the street frontage. The curve also forms a welcoming enclosure at the rear for entrances and parking.
To absorb the site level changes, a gentle ramp runs past each doorway. The wall gives privacy to the houses from the car park opposite and planting provides a textured, sheltered area for the kitchens to overlook.
Natural, hard-wearing materials such as weathered Siberian larch were used with vibrant door colours bringing identity to each house. A stone plinth sits beneath the terrace to elevate it above the flood level.
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