​Hazelhurst Court
by Levitt Bernstein
Client Phoenix Community Housing
Awards RIBA London Award 2018
A project that transforms an underused site to provide 60 affordable homes for older people with extensive communal spaces. This scheme adjoins sensitively to an existing housing block to form a horseshoe, creating two new communal courtyards.
The housing meets the needs of each occupant while encouraging community and socialising between neighbours in the block. This is achieved by individual planters and benches outside front doors giving the opportunity to sit and chat or watch the world go by. Also, the shared communal courtyard contain a fish pond, planting and plenty of sitting areas enabling the opportunity to sit with friends or family or tonsimply read a book.
Overall this housing scheme for older people feels very homely and welcoming. The shared garden room, which acts as a dining and living space, has a cosy domestic scale with plenty of light. The exposed cross laminated timber adds further warmth and interest. The room looks onto two outdoor courtyards and is busy with occupants and their guests using the space.
This scheme brings the outside in. Homes are mostly accessed via outdoor galleries and all are dual aspect to provide ample daylight, ventilation and a connection to the courtyards and neighbouring streets. Balconies were partly sheltered by being enclosed, allowing use of them throughout the year. All areas of the scheme are level access with auto-opening doors facilitating easy movement.
We were told the scheme has been highly successful for occupants and visitors.
The client and architect had an excellent working relationship during the whole design process. Both worked closely together, despite rising tender costs, to safeguard key quality decisions such as the brick choice, ensuring the long term quality and performance of the building.
Internal Area 4,345 m²
Contractor Rydon
Structural Engineers Ridge
Environmental / M&E Engineers CalfordSeadon
Quantity Surveyor / Cost Consultant Potter Raper Partnership
Landscape Architects Levitt Bernstein
