Design Thinking a Clear Winner
Following on from a successful design competition held by City West Housing, Scott Carver has recently submitted Harold Park Affordable Housing for Development Application.
Embracing a sense of place and embedding it into a more enlightened approach to affordable housing, the site at 84 Wigram Road in Forest Lodge forms a stepping stone between the conservation areas of Glebe and Forest Lodge and the new high-rise developments by Mirvac at Harold Park.
Led by Doug Southwell, the design was realised through its highly contextualised approach to the form of the apartment buildings, as well as the sustainability and liveability elements, including excellent solar access and ventilation for every dwelling. These were important objectives to ensure the project outcomes exceeded the minimums for thermal performance, natural light, and ventilation, as set down in the New South Wales Apartment Design Guide.
The project will provide 78 one, two and three bedroom apartments for key workers in the local community that otherwise would find it difficult to obtain affordable housing within reasonable proximity of their workplaces.
In design terms, the project’s form and high level of amenity are more in keeping with the contemporary apartment style of recent developments in the area. In contextualising the design, the terrace house typology of the Forest Lodge and Glebe conservation area informs the first part of the project, a three-level building with brickwork and terrace-style facade articulation, which then transitions to a four level building with a highly articulated facade, and finally a six storey building.
The building changes through three different heights and forms as an “incremental” approach, that is effective on different scales and creates a transition between the heritage style housing and the more massed forms of Harold Park; not to mention acting as a gateway to the foreshore and recently opened food destination, Tramsheds Harold Park.
The materiality details variation in the use of brickwork, composite timber, precast concrete panels and stainless steel, which will inevitably inform a very robust and affordable outcome.
The varied material palette combined with the variations in balcony styles and building form will assist to give residents a strong sense of place, as their individual residences will be recognisable from street level.
As one of the key factors for successful place-making, in terms of liveability, is the allocation of open green space for social interaction and recreation. The landscape was, therefore, an important design consideration for this project.
The site itself sits opposite what will be a park, giving every apartment a green outlook, while the entrance to the development itself comprises a landscaped green forecourt recessed back from the street. Two gateway forms with seating for people and the letterboxes aim to create a social hub for engagement and interaction.
On the roof of the three storey element, there will be a roof garden about 500 meters square, which will likely include a children’s play area, BBQ facilities and perhaps a communal vegetable garden, which is becoming a trend in recent apartment projects.
We look forward to continue working with the team at City West Housing to deliver this exciting project.
The design for Harold Park Affordable Housing is currently being considered by the City of Sydney.
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