Langton Way

About

The site is located along a private road that has many modern homes predominantly owned by professional couples. This courtyard estate is comprised of two semi-detached older people’s houses which flank a terrace of six family houses. The brief was to build the estate so as to fulfill a Housing Association’s requirements, in terms of access, minimum room areas, parking and garden spaces. However, it transpired that we were able to create larger gardens and bedrooms than were required, and thus these houses became attractive homes – which were later resold at much inflated prices to future owners.

The parking area became a landscaped feature – whereby with careful planting, edging, hardstanding and the use of topsoil to create a hillock- the houses were afforded views of their vehicles for security purposes, as well as a nice view of a delightful front garden. The traditional aesthetic of the design was intended to create a more homely character for working class families and as such became attractive in a more modest way than the very modern design of nearby villa houses. The sense of community that the estate offered folk has created a sense of place and led to the client/developer wishing to put it forward for a national housing design award.