Trees Extra Care Housing, Highgate

Client: Hill Homes and One Housing Group

Role: Architecture, Project Management, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture, Town Planning, Environmental Services

Value: £7.1 million

The 'Trees' project is located within the Highgate Conservation area on a beautiful site with a mature existing landscape. The building is designed around the beautiful gardens with two single storey wings sensitively placed between existing trees.

Produced and directed by Richard Mullane, Director of photography Tim Crocker.
A Living Projects Production: www.living-projects.co.uk

The project consists of 40 Extra Care self-contained flats which include a mixture of one and two-bedroom homes all with generous private amenity with space for table chairs and plants. The proposed development is the first 100% affordable rental housing in Highgate for many years.

This scheme design was conceived prior to the recent HAPPI report however embodies many of its recommendations. Design principles include a 'permeable plan' containing smaller 'clusters' of homes arranged around a dramatic internal atrium.  This arrangement promotes neighborliness amongst residents and maximizes natural daylight within the building.  The circulation areas are designed as meaningful shared spaces encouraging casual social interaction. Glazed 'links' create informal seating bays and provide views from all circulation areas to outside space; these areas are beneficial in reducing the effective length of corridors and assisting orientation for older people. The naturally lit atrium creates a strong connection between the vibrant ground floor communal spaces and the residential areas on the upper floors; this delightful space is enhanced with bespoke artwork spanning the full height of the atrium which gives a distinct identity to each level. 

The scheme exceeds current sustainability standards.

David Birkbeck, the chief executive of Design for Homes and one of the judges said: 'I've visited about 400 of these developments, and this is the best one.'

Please click below to download the Case Study: