Freespace Housetype Portfolio

Client:
Applecross/Murray Estates

Location:
Various

Budget:
N/A

Status:
Completed Stage D Scheme Design (submitted for Planning various locations)

We won this commission to develop 8 housetypes in an invited competition. The project seeks to approach volume housebuilding with the basic principles of:


Drama and Joy
We need to make the parts work and flow to give the impression of a greater whole. We need to use light, view, texture and variety to take delight where we can on a small stage.

Connection
The connection of one household to others, to the landscape or even the garden is seldom considered or valued. Rather the interior functioning of the house is emphasised (though internal connection is seldom well delivered). We must achieve this connectivity and transition/flow through internal and out into external spaces.

Dynamic Section
We should recognize that some rooms need to have higher ceilings than others and vary the section to achieve this (and to add excitement and connectivity). We should use the section to bring daylight into the heart of the house. The design should consider how to deal with split level topography without compromise.

Positive Circulation
Circulation areas should be deliberate, and enhance the design i.e positive spaces to pass through or even dwell momentarily and give the impression of being comfortably proportioned without compromising room size.

Growth and Adaptability
We must offer flexibility in layout, use, separation/openness and future growth (perhaps sub-division) for lifetime housing and “3G” housing (three generation). The physical constraints of the design should not be fixed to one specific program but support a variety of changing uses the ability for a house to grow and adapt with the changing family structure and income.

Lean Design
To meet the brief's cost and programme requirements as well as trying to achieve a flexible building capable of expanding and extending in the future, we have focused on developing customisable House Platforms on a similar principle as the car industry (Lean Design Principles).

Each House Platform is to use a basic standard model as the starting point. Within each platform a number of ‘plug-ins’ and optionals are available which can be combined with the basic model to create a higher level of variation than is the norm in volume house building. Not only will this ‘kit-of-parts” allow us to achieve a variety of solutions at point of sale, but it will also be designed to allow the customer to ‘upgrade’ the product over the years, by purchasing and retro fitting ‘optional extras’.