French, H

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  ResearchSPAce http://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/   French, H. (2018) 'Accommodating change: innovation in housing’, in Menteth, W., ed. Competition culture in Europe: voices. London: Project Compass CIC, pp. 102-109. Official publisher site: http://projectcompass.co.uk/index.php/compass/publications/      ©2018. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-ND 4.0 license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/  10  Accommodating Change Innovation in Housing 105Flexibility, or the ability to ‘accommodate changes’, was a key requirement related to a re-examination of the static notion of the ‘family’, and open spaces both private and shared had to be included. Density was under review at the time and – extraordinarily – competitors were invited to ̻define the schedule of accommodation̼ themselves. The usual density for the site (then 27 habitable rooms per hectare) would result in ‘around 23 units’ but the planning department had agreed to waive their guidelines, allowing densities of up to around 50 units on the site. The invitation to ignore all precedent and be critical about planning guidelines in order to think about new design ideas was appealing to architects, and resulted in approximately 10 entries, a large number for a housing competition. Student CompetitionFollowing the professional competition a separate ideas competition for students was launched with a similar very open brief on a nearby site. The aim was to encourage university courses and students to consider working in the housing field and to “offer a unique opportunity for students to challenge assumptions as to what makes for good housing design, as well as contributing fresh ideas for the future” (Jane $lom Cooper) acknowledging the potential difficulty in tackling a fully resolved project, students were encouraged to focus on one of four key themes: Typology, Sustainability, Density and Technology. Architecture schools then hosted a series of seminars based on these themes which attracted contributions from some well-known architects and other notable housing professionals. Dissemination: Exhibition, Website and PublicationThe culmination of the entire process was captured in an exhibition held at the Architecture Foundation gallery in Central London and online through a dedicated website. But it is the book, intended as “a model for debate on housing in the twentyfirst century” published by the client and the Architecture Foundation at the same time that has remained a lasting testament, revealing the detailed processes of the competition as well as the winning design. Alongside the images of his winning drawings and models, Peter Barber was invited to contribute a contextual essay that expands on his approach to housing “based on the idea of the street as central to successful urban design”. The book, which is still referred to on many of the participating architects’ websites and is still available through RIBA bookshops, captures the ‘mood’ of the time, the key issues being discussed – flexibility, density, sustainability – and a flavour of the kinds of projects ̻action research into the field of innovative housing where we hope all competitors will challenge assumptions about how people live, and will continue to live, in homes of the future” figure.1.3Aerial axonometric drawing of the winning scheme by Peter Barber Architects /tdfigure 1.2Typical plans of the winning scheme by Peter Barber Architects /td106  Accommodating Change Innovation in Housing 107to come. Information submitted for the competition was used to describe the schemes selected for publication, which are loosely grouped by urban typology, and scale drawings of the site plans and unit plans inside the covers were especially made for ease of comparison. Will Alsop, then Chair of the AF, contributed the foreword and Jeremy Till, Sarah Wigglesworth and Pierre D’Avoine provided essays for a section on history and context.The Donnybrook Quarter housing project is now considered an exemplar and is regularly used to illustrate innovation in housing design (figure 1.2-1., 1.6, 1.7). The architect Peter $arber has gone on to design and complete many other innovative housing projects.There can be no doubt that the client Circle 33’s Jane Blom Cooper played a key role in the success of all aspects of this competition. Commissioning London’s Architecture Foundation and its then director Lucy Musgrove meant trusting their belief that a competition without the usual constraints and guidelines would attract high quality, innovative and buildable results. The Accommodating Change initiative was certainly optimistic and relied on many committed individuals to make it a success. The Donnybrook Quarter and the book demonstrate that their confidence was not misplaced.figure 1. Aerial view of completed scheme © Morley von Sternbergfigure 1.6Competition drawings view of the main street by Peter Barber Architects /td “The Donnybrook Quarter housing project is now considered an exemplar and is regularly used to illustrate innovation in housing design”figure 1.5The Architecture Foundation, dissemination of the competition research 108  Accommodating Change Innovation in Housing 109figure 1.Design drawing of the winning scheme by Peter Barber Architects /td.PROJECT DATA Name   ACCOMMODATING CHANGE. INNOVATION IN HOUSINGLocation  Donnybrook, Eden Way, London E3 2JDCountry  ENGLANDYear   2001PROJECT DESCRIPTION Type  0 /ixed tenure housing unitsSize  2,88 m2   Budget Cost  c.5mCOMPETITION DESCRIPTION Client  Circle 33 Housing Association (0ow Clarion Housing)Programmer/Agent   The Architecture FoundationPublic/Private  PublicProcedure  A Design ContestProcedure Reference  Directive 200/18/EC. Article 66 (equivalent) Stages  2 Project Intention   An intention to buildCOMPETITION FACTS Timescale  Registration:   18 May 2001 5ubmission   15 June 2001 Shortlisting to 6:   June-July 2001  Q & A session:   18 July 2001 2nd Stage submission: 21 September 2001  Judging & Award  2 - 25 5eptember 2001 Submission Required  5tage 1  2 x A1 panels and an 6 page A report (unverified estimate only)   5tage 2  x A1 panels and a report (unverified estimate only)Announcement   25 5eptember 2001Number of Entries  139ASSESSMENT & SELECTION Jury Numbers  7Jury composition  With a deliberative role: Jane Blom Cooper, Circle 33 Anne Lacaton, Lacaton and Vasal Architects Walter Menteth, Walter Menteth Architects  Bruce Robertson, Tower Hamlets HAT Ian Ritchie, Ian Ritchie Architects  Professor Edward W Soja, UCLA Roger Zogolovitch, Lake Estates  With an advisory role: Jamie Campbell, Circle 33 Hilary French, Royal College of Art Margaret Hays, HAT resident, Tower Hamlets Brendan Ritchie, Wilmott Dixon Neil Squibbs, Buro HappoldNumber Shortlisted  6Winner  Peter Barber Architects LtdRunners Up  Circus Architects, London UK East Architecture, Landscape, Urban Design, London UK Poppl/5traberger, )ermany Robert Ian Barnes Architects, London UK White Design Associates, Bristol UKPrizes & Awards  5hortlisted entries were each awarded c6,000 (Ż6,850) 5tudent winner was awarded c000 (Ż,560)Conclusion of Process  Construction design commissionProject Completion  Completed January 2006FURTHER INFORMATION   Book published and website launched February 2002, and with an exhibition at the Architecture Foundation Gallery, The Economist $uilding 5t James’, London 22 FebruaryŤ27 /arch 2002   The project team included: Paul Grover, Project Coordinator, Kerr Noble, book, exhibition and website design, Hilary French consultant to the Architecture Foundation to contribute to the brief writing, curate the exhibition and prepare and edit the publication.   French H (ed). Accommodating Change Innovation in Housing. Circle 33 Housing )roup. February 2002. I5$0 0-9519067-7-1. www.ribabookshops.com/item/accommodating-change/29226/ (accessed 21 /arch 2018)  Peter Barber Architects Ltd: www.peterbarberarchitects.com/donnybrook-quarter (accessed 21 /arch 2018) Housing Design Awards, 200 4oyal Academy 5ummer Exhibition, Highly Commended, 200 RIBA Stirling Prize, Listed 2006 AIA Excellence in Design Awards, 2006 RIBA Award Winner, 2006  0ota Circle 33 became Circle Anglia in 2005, one of the largest housing associations in the U-. It merged with Affinity 5utton in 2016 and was renamed Clarion Housing.

Accommodating change: innovation in housing

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Accommodating change: innovation in housing

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