Bywater Court, Leeds

Client: English Partnerships

Role: Architecture and Environmental Services

Part of a Millennium Community, Bywater Court has achieved the Building for Life silver accreditation.

Originally designed as a three-storey, end-of-terrace home; known to be the most challenging to house builders in urban design terms; the ‘Summit House’ was designed and fabricated in 14 weeks. It was constructed in nine hours at the Creating Sustainable Communities Summit at GMEX, Manchester in January 2005.

The townhouse model uses a light gauge steel frame technology. The house demonstrates best practice in terms of an ecohomes ‘excellent’ environmental rating combined with a design for flexible living and changing lifestyles. High levels of security to provide an attractive, modern and above all, marketable home with broad appeal to builders and house buyers alike.

In terms of environmental sustainability, the design incorporates a variety of systems that offer a high level of ‘upgradeability’. It is designed to allow the easy retro-fitting of items such as solar panels and new, more energy-efficient systems through the incorporation of an optimum roof pitch and easily accessible service ducts. Additional features such as winter gardens, use of passive warming and cooling, water saving or grey water technologies have been incorporated on the 23 unit development in Allerton Bywater.

The development has a clear outer perimeter of front facades and entrances creating a strong street edge to the new Boulevard. The buildings are grouped around a courtyard that will become a designated ‘Homezone’.