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Location: Harlow, CM17 9JX
Built: 2004
Designer: Cala Homes (developer) / PCKO Architects (architect)
Type: suburban
Density: 39 homes per hectare
Parking ratio: 177%
One of the early parcels of up to 3000 homes being built on a 50 hectare farm abutting the M11, Domus manages rather than banishes the car. Houses get two spaces and flats one, and there are fresh treatments of garaging, as well as exemplary finishes for shared surfaces.
The scheme is arranged as a series of wide boulevards and gently curved streets, generally with the larger houses set well back from the road, and smaller units closer to pedestrian routes. The block plan is essentially permeable, with pathways and cycle routes cut through to take advantage of the sloping site. Generously landscaped strips line main streets and occur at all junctions, suggesting a sense of place and community developed on its own terms rather than with reference to historical models. Materials used include brick and render, but the inclusion of patinated copper, enamelled steel panels, and a palette of strong but not overbearing colours make for a modern identity without losing the characteristics that create familiarity and comfort.
Two car parking spaces per house are allowed for, with one per apartment unit. The larger houses have conventional off street parking on a ardstanding at right angles to the house facade; in some cases, this leads through a cutout to a garage at the rear of the building. The atelier units each have a horizontally slatted, lockable timber gate leading to an open sided port contained by the terraces above. This space is open to the landscaping that separates the ateliers from the apartment units.
Raised kerbs and crossovers are used along main routes, with dropped kerbs and shared finishes to secondary roads; in a number of these cases, pavements are not separately defined. There is a combination of blacktop and granite setts laid to a herringbone pattern, punctuated in some cases by cast iron tree grilles.
The development features 3 and 4 bed houses; 1 and 2 bedroom flats and maisonettes - as well as live-work atelier units - arranged in detached houses, 2, 3, 4, and 6 storey terraces.
Plan showing location of the case study within the wider development.
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View from local play area towards street frontage.
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Aerial view showing main frontage to right and chauffeur units behind.
Red Light! - Chauffeur units are an inappropriate frontage as viewed from homes opposite.
Proceed with Caution! - Compromises rear garden space; access is less convenient than with an integral garage.
Green Light! - Deeper garden plots offer potential flexibility to park up to three cars nose-to-tail, but through loss of garden. Slatted doors here direct storage towards room in atelier unit, keeping garage for car. Dead space above garage becomes private amenity of a terrace. Highly flexible space.
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Blank street is a problem for buildings facing them.
Red Light! - Chauffeur units are an inappropriate frontage as viewed from homes opposite.
Proceed with Caution! - Compromises rear garden space; access is less convenient than with an integral garage.
Green Light! - Deeper garden plots offer potential flexibility to park up to three cars nose-to-tail, but through loss of garden. Slatted doors here direct storage towards room in atelier unit, keeping garage for car. Dead space above garage becomes private amenity of a terrace. Highly flexible space.
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Plan showing typical arrangement of on-plot, chauffeur unit parking within the wider scheme.
Red Light! - Chauffeur units are an inappropriate frontage as viewed from homes opposite.
Proceed with Caution! - Compromises rear garden space; access is less convenient than with an integral garage.
Green Light! - Deeper garden plots offer potential flexibility to park up to three cars nose-to-tail, but through loss of garden. Slatted doors here direct storage towards room in atelier unit, keeping garage for car. Dead space above garage becomes private amenity of a terrace. Highly flexible space.
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Frontage is wide enough to soak up integral garage.
Proceed with Caution! - Space between front of garage and highway allows additional parking which discourages use of garage and could lead to car dominated street.
Green Light! - Detailing of garage consistent with language of houses, and the integrated model is economical to build. Conventional on-plot garage parking works effectively with house-types, and has convenient access. The visual interest of wide frontage units ensures that garage doors do not dominate, whilst slatted garage door stops it being used as a store and improves its surveillance and security.
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Houses are set too far back which encourages parking in front of garages.
Proceed with Caution! - Space between front of garage and highway allows additional parking which discourages use of garage and could lead to car dominated street.
Green Light! - Detailing of garage consistent with language of houses, and the integrated model is economical to build. Conventional on-plot garage parking works effectively with house-types, and has convenient access. The visual interest of wide frontage units ensures that garage doors do not dominate, whilst slatted garage door stops it being used as a store and improves its surveillance and security.
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Parking on street in front of houses on wide shared surface.
Proceed with Caution! - Space between front of garage and highway allows additional parking which discourages use of garage and could lead to car dominated street.
Green Light! - Detailing of garage consistent with language of houses, and the integrated model is economical to build. Conventional on-plot garage parking works effectively with house-types, and has convenient access. The visual interest of wide frontage units ensures that garage doors do not dominate, whilst slatted garage door stops it being used as a store and improves its surveillance and security.
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Narrow lane to rear court behind good for defence.
Proceed with Caution! - Space between front of garage and highway allows additional parking which discourages use of garage and could lead to car dominated street.
Green Light! - Detailing of garage consistent with language of houses, and the integrated model is economical to build. Conventional on-plot garage parking works effectively with house-types, and has convenient access. The visual interest of wide frontage units ensures that garage doors do not dominate, whilst slatted garage door stops it being used as a store and improves its surveillance and security.
Be the first to add a comment!
Plan showing typical arrangement of on-plot, integral garage parking within the scheme.
Proceed with Caution! - Space between front of garage and highway allows additional parking which discourages use of garage and could lead to car dominated street.
Green Light! - Detailing of garage consistent with language of houses, and the integrated model is economical to build. Conventional on-plot garage parking works effectively with house-types, and has convenient access. The visual interest of wide frontage units ensures that garage doors do not dominate, whilst slatted garage door stops it being used as a store and improves its surveillance and security.
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Units have outdoor space over slatted garage, more accommodation attached.
Red Light! - Chauffeur units are an inappropriate frontage as viewed from homes opposite.
Proceed with Caution! - Compromises rear garden space; access is less convenient than with an integral garage.
Green Light! - Deeper garden plots offer potential flexibility to park up to three cars nose-to-tail, but through loss of garden. Slatted doors here direct storage towards room in atelier unit, keeping garage for car. Dead space above garage becomes private amenity of a terrace. Highly flexible space.
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Surveillance onto street is limited.
Red Light! - Chauffeur units are an inappropriate frontage as viewed from homes opposite.
Proceed with Caution! - Compromises rear garden space; access is less convenient than with an integral garage.
Green Light! - Deeper garden plots offer potential flexibility to park up to three cars nose-to-tail, but through loss of garden. Slatted doors here direct storage towards room in atelier unit, keeping garage for car. Dead space above garage becomes private amenity of a terrace. Highly flexible space.
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Space submitted by Sam Brown
17 October 2013