Davies Lane

Leytonstone, East London

An old builders yard sandwiched between a Victorian terrace and School is turned into a 2-bed house in East London

Overview

The triangular shaped site had been used as a small builders yard (90m2) for decades and bounds 2 Councils - London Borough of Waltham Forest and Redbridge. Its risk of surface water flooding, privacy, orientation and improvement to neighbour amenity were all key to our design decisions.

In order to create the 2-bedroomed property, we had to be incredibly clever with the split form. As the Environment Agency predicted surface water flooding, we had to avoid going above the parapet of the end terrace, yet needed to house the ‘blue roof’ to capture rainfall and slow disbursement. This infill development is designed holistically to work with the neighbouring buildings, todays equivalent for energy consumption, National Space Standards and quality living.

We chose traditional building materials - pale buff handmade bricks complement both yellow and red bricks of neighbouring properties. Soldier course detailing provides elevational interest along with cantilevered first floor section.

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Its clever layouts, massing and window locations create a new home in London with a 95% reduction in CO2 Emissions. This is instrumental in showing Planning Committee’s the high standard that small homes across London can create with the right design.

• Pale buff brickwork design to complement London yellow/red stock brick

• Blue and green roof technology to assist in Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme

• Raised ground floor because of EA predicted flooding with ramp for access and storm flood defence doors to entrance

• Exhaust Air Heat Pump with mechanical and water heat recovery, with solar PV panel array to assist in reduction of energy.

• Small Homes Revolution scheme - see also Coach Yard