CompassZed

The proposed site was formerly part of the car park serving the offices at Compass House in Stanmore, northwest London and is now surplus to requirements. It is not a public car park and has no association with the nearby shops. Its loss will therefore not affect the continued operation of the nearby shopping street.

The site can only be considered a redundant brown field site. It is within the Metropolitan District and Local Centre boundary of Stanmore yet it fulfils no function for that centre, having no street frontage. Its development for residential usage will have no impact on the vitality and viability of the district centre.

The proposal is for three one-bedroom and three 2-bedroom flats over four floors. The layout developed from the shape of the site and its orientation. The ground floor is therefore dedicated to car parking, bin storage and recycling, bicycle storage and the entrance hall and staircase to the building. Access can be gained from both ends in the current situation.

The promotion of energy efficiency and the adoption of sustainable design principles contributed greatly to the design process; the units have been designed to face south to maximize solar gain. This is considered more important than the potentially preferable outlook to the north. South facing aspects enable us to use solar panels and sunspaces and ensure maximum light to the habitable rooms. In the scheme the sunspaces are integrated with deep amenity balconies, also facing south and suitably deep.

The building will be highly insulated with double and triple glazing being used for windows and sunspaces, together with super insulation to walls floors and roof structures.

The design maxmises and regulates solar gain and day lighting in various ways during the season to maximize energy efficiency and contribute to lower resource consumption. Ventilation will be controlled, air tightness will be maximised.

Recycled materials will be used where possible and a green roof will be used as further amenity space on the roof.

The proposed development has sought to maximise the amenity space available to residents. The sunspaces, balconies and roof terrace will be both attractive and usable. The proposed areas far exceed the amount of usable space that might normally be provided in such a central location.

The side elevations of the proposed building will be devoid of windows because they abut the site boundary. We have, therefore, created interest in individuality by curling the heads of the flank walls to reflect the required angles of the solar panels. We have also added recycled timber cladding in an amorphous shape that reflects the interesting random forms of the windows on the front elevation. The result is a highly individual and unusual aesthetic, formed out of function rather than whim. The building will become a new landmark and enliven the otherwise sterile environment in which it sits.