Westminster Social Housing

This commission is part of the City of Westminster’s infill program. It identifies underused sites in the crowded city where there are opportunities for the creation of much needed social rented houses for families.

There are four buildings, providing a total of 12 houses.

Cirencester Street comprises a pair of three level townhouses in a cul de sac that forms an interesting context: in a short street are a church, nursing home, 1960s flats and the remnants of a 19th century row of houses. This existing heterogeneity led us to adopt a fairly traditional configuration and aesthetic – another rowdy neighbour wasn’t needed. A piano nobile refers to the adjoining houses and a strong welcoming mark is made by coloured timber boarding in the recessed entrances.

Cochrane Street is a compact building containing two townhouses, near St John’s Wood High Street. Our scheme replaces a row of old, unprepossessing garages on an estate. The houses are over three levels and have private courtyards. The form and materials are visually strong and robust, with dark brickwork articulated by the use of recessed planes. The entrance bay is a strong yellow and signals welcome to visitors. The context of bulky high buildings was less so to a new arrival. The deep tone and cubic shape gives our design presence. It holds its own in the streetscape

Lanark Road comprises two buildings, each of four houses to replace garage blocks on a 1960s estate. The buildings are freestanding, punctuating a long low terrace. This form maintains an urban gap with glimpses of trees behind. It gives the higher new buildings a comfortable relationship to their lower neighbours and makes possible generous private gardens for each house. Entrance spaces have both a community feel and privacy. Materials and architectural proportions speak to the existing terrace but don’t mimic their somewhat mean dimensions. The cross-shaped plan forms are unusual and provide private outlooks and double aspects for capturing maximum sun and light. Spaces are generous for a family of five despite the compact footprints.

Planning permissions were all achieved at the first attempt and we have enjoyed extending our 30 years experience of fine residential design to a new user group.