THE FUTURE OF COUNCIL HOUSING

Council housing is usually viewed as homes built for the poorest of people where design quality is said to be undermined by poor construction. The usual perception of council estates is deemed to be poverty stricken, isolated by poorly lit walkways, surrounded by brutalist concrete walls and haven for crime and drug dealing. This stereotypical perception has encouraged private developers and local councils to target council housing estates for demolition and redevelopment. 

Research has shown that currently 237 estates in London are facing or undergoing some form of regeneration; either for demolition or privatisation. The Institute of public policy research report, put together by Savills, produced for the government cabinet, titled ‘Completing London’s Streets’, recommends the demolition of homes of over 400,000 Londoners (Savills, 2016). Removing housing stock during a period of  a ‘housing crisis’ and driving out low-income tenants from their homes instigates further problems in itself. We are not only demolishing building fabric, but more importantly we are fizzling out tightly-knit communities.

As I go through my final ‘home run’ of architectural training to become an Architect, this stigma on council homes is something I have always found immensely troubling. In architecture school we were told about the huge investments that were put into social housing during the post war years; local councils and housing associations teaming up with Architects to come up with pioneering initiatives to ramp up housing supply. ‘Housing for all’ was the aim, which brought about the beginnings of a welfare state.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEXANDRA ROAD ESTATE // KHALID AIDEED

PHOTOGRAPHY: ALEXANDRA ROAD ESTATE // KHALID AIDEED

Alexandra Road is a prime example of social housing schemes built in the 1970’s that provided a beacon of hope for middle to low income families in London, which was later Grade II* listed in 1993. However, the majority of these estates are not seen in the same light and their architectural asset and face seems to take more precedence over its purpose or most importantly the existing residents and users that occupy these spaces. 

PHOTOGRAPHY: CENTRAL HILL ESTATE // ARCHITECTS FOR SOCIAL HOUSING

PHOTOGRAPHY: CENTRAL HILL ESTATE // ARCHITECTS FOR SOCIAL HOUSING

There lies a different fate with the Central Hill council estate, located in Crystal Palace South London, which is deemed not fit for purpose and since 2015 has been set for demolition and redevelopment by the council. There has been resistance against the redevelopment of the estate by the Central Hill residents who formed a campaign, named ‘Save Central Hill Community’. They  made an alliance with the ‘Architects For Social Housing’ non-profit group to propose architectural alternatives to demolition and to find ways to increase capacity and to generate collective funds to renovate existing homes. Despite their efforts, their ideas were never acknowledge or considered due to the local authorities power of land ownership of the council homes. The futures of the local residents relies on the commercial incentives of the council (i.e the landowner) and the private investor. After all, their decisions are merely based on the socio-economic climate and the ability to sustain long term financial stability.

PHOTOGRAPHY: CENTRAL HILL ESTATE // ARCHITECTS FOR SOCIAL HOUSING

So where does this leave us and where could we do better?

Clarifying the term ‘affordable housing’, ‘social housing’ or ‘regeneration’ and what this all means for the residents, the council and the professions within the built environment would help in reinstating the purpose of council housing.

As Architects it is important to take into account the ultimate impact of our work. It is also difficult to deliver morally sound projects for the user where there are no policies, regulations, contracts or government body to protect the human right of tenants within council homes. I therefore implore all designers, professional bodies, government and non-government bodies to engage with and listen to the voices of the residents to more widely help co-design and fabricate design policy. In a time where the new generation struggle to get onto the housing ladder, it is now time to think outside the box and propose innovative and alternative ways of living.

By Khalid Aideed

CP CERAMICS

As architects, we often find ourselves dipping our toes into other creative outlets, perhaps often craving avenues where there is a shorter turnaround time for the finished product. Working on architectural projects, we often don't see a finished outcome until at least 12-18 months later, and after extensive periods of stress, hard work and delays. Whilst it is incredibly satisfying to see the end result, it is not without considerable time and input.

Almost 4 years ago, after just qualifying as an Architect, I was having a really difficult time personally, had started talking to a therapist and was looking for a creative outlet where I could have a few hours to switch off my mind from it all. I had always wanted to try ceramics, and get my hands stuck into clay, and so with the offering of a space on a 12 week ceramics course, I signed myself up at Skandihus to give it it a go. 

half moon dinner plates

DOTTY SERVING PLATES

Being somewhat of a perfectionist, I learned very quickly that - despite your best efforts - you cannot completely control a natural material; and that when the kiln gods are not on your side, the pieces you have taken such care and thought with, can often come out of the kilns very different to what you expected!

Whilst there can often be disappointments, there is utter joy from being able to take a lump of clay, mould it, shape it, paint it and make it a permanent object in just a few weeks.

There are endless ideas and designs to explore and the beauty of being able to take a quick hand sketch, or idea in your head, and use your hands to create it - without any restrictions or policies to say otherwise, is a stark and wonderful contrast to my day to day job as an architect. 

After spending 12 weeks elbow deep in clay, I knew I didn't want to give it up and so I moved onto becoming a member at Turning Earth Studios in Hoxton. Whilst here I was able to develop my own style of ceramics, which became all about simple, functional forms but with bright, colourful graphics, all of which are individually hand-painted. I particularly enjoy being able to be playful and bold with my use of colour and pattern - as I am not always able to convince our clients to be so daring!

hand-painting each piece

rainbow stripe platter

I continue to find that ceramics develops a lot of the skills that assist with my architectural career and that it has taught me to be more patient, confident - and adventurous - with my work in both the MW Architects studio and at my new studio space at The Kiln Rooms in Peckham. My ceramics pieces have now been sold online, at markets and soon to be on Not on The High Street and you can find images of all my work to date @cp-ceramics. 

by Clare Paton

Collaborative Craft

As the world begins to return to some level of normality it feels more important then ever to make sure we have a focus and purpose to what we do. The last year or so has been a useful time of reflection and a reminder that life is precious and what we do, or don't do, really matters.

Collaborative Craft is a name we have given our emerging practice philosophy. It is a new name for the things we have been doing over the last 10 years in practice and a sustainable vision for the direction in which we want to take the studio over the next decade. It celebrates craft and the warmth of the handmade. It is collaborative because we believe the best results are achieved by harnessing the creativity of the makers. It is also about creating circular economies and sustainable communities which value the individual skills and contributions everyone can make to the environment in which we live.

The construction industry is big and it is important, it already employs huge numbers of highly skilled people, and these skills are maintained because of the continuous flow of construction projects. This is great and whilst there needs to be much more done to make construction more sustainable both in terms of the communities it affects but also the affect it has on the environment, this is largely recognised and is being addressed. We work with small developers and owner occupiers; consumers if you like. Consumers can drive change by making small better choices. We feel as designers that it is our duty to help consumers make informed decisions.

Our vision is to build high quality hand crafted environments that are rich in texture and narrative. We want to do that in a sustainable way that enriches the lives of the local communities by celebrating specialist skills and promoting the contribution that local communities make. Social purpose is at the core of our principles and should extend to all our collaborators; be it craftspeople, contractors, clients and suppliers. We want to collaborate with people who care about their communities and their environment and not just the bottom line. It is my intention that we feature some of our collaborators - past & present; and companies we believe have corporate social purpose at their core in this blog over the coming months and years. It is all about having the conversations after all!

by Matthew Wood

The White House - to be featured in Don't Move Improve 2021

Photography by French + Tye.

Our White House project is featured in Don’t Move Improve 2021. It’s a grade II listed former inn on Highgate Hill, fully refurbished by MW Architects including this beautiful repurposed sideboard.

Garden Rooms That Don't Require Planning Permission.

Here we showcase some of our garden rooms, none of which required planning permission, even in conservation areas!

There are a few parameters and a restrictions, but these featured garden buildings were all covered by the same permitted development as a garden shed! Our largest to date, built in the garden of Mr & Mrs Smith, is 60 sq meters and has a WC, shower, hot tub and enough space for yoga or a gym. Here we see the exterior of this project, the ‘Yoga Dojo’.

the yoga dojo // photography by french + tye

Intended to be a place for the practice of yoga and meditation it provides a distanced and calm retreat from the busy home.  The building is highly engineered with precision detailing throughout and forms three main spaces connected visually through the building’s design and physically through the continuation of materials.

Yoga dojo // inside //photography french + tye

Garden rooms can be hugely varied in both scope and design. In stark contrast to the above, our Greenwich Garden room has a more rustic feel. Still containing a WC, the room was more focussed on home working than home relaxing, however it created a very relaxing place to work!

greenwich garden room // photography by french + tye

The compact outhouse transformed a cramped rear garden into a courtyard and provides a garden studio for a writer in South London. Working from home has suddenly become the reality for millions of people around the globe. Walking out of your house into an entirely separate useable space, with protection from the elements yet still in the seclusion of your home boundary, has become an increasingly tempting option for many. As the outbuilding are usually designed and built from scratch, they can be customised entirely for the needs of the family, whether it be homeschooling, a place to work, work-out or relax.

greenwich garden room // inside // photography french + tye

Maresfield Outbuilding is also built under householder permitted development.  This highly engineered structure floats under the tree canopy on a concrete raft only 200mm thick with insitu exposed concrete walls. The copper roof gives the building a refined elegance that is visible from the upper floors of the house, fulfilling the brief that the arial view of the garden had to be beautiful. 

maresfield outbuilding // photography by french + tye

Mainly used as a place to exercise this garden room keeps bulky equipment away from the main home. Music can be played without disturbing others and it saves on the annual gym subscription for years to come!

maresfield gardens // exterior // photography french + tye

Garden studios are a great way to add useable space to a family home. So much more than a posh shed (but with the same building rules) studios can be thermally efficient ensuring they can be used throughout the year. Studios provide a striking focal point for any garden and can be blended into the landscape using materials that match the style of the exterior and landscaping at your home. Natural or modern finishes and high specification glazing can be sure to add the wow factor. Whether you are looking for a place to entertain guests, a cover for outside dining, or just a retreat from the general buzz of family life a garden studio could be the perfect solution. We can design you a useable, flexible space that fits in with whatever your family needs.

'The Floating Playhouse'. Our Entry to the Tottenham Pavilion Competition.

In April 2020, MW Architects entered a competition to design for a new kind of public space that will be built in the Harringay Warehouse District in 2021.

In early 2020, a competition was launched to design a pavilion for a former industrial site in South Tottenham. The winning design will feature in the London Festival of Architecture and be built in 2021 by a team of volunteers.

Our newest team member, Khalid, took a lead role in our design entry, firstly by visiting the site and then drawing up a list of requirements and restrictions. Using hand drawn sketches created in studio based workshops, the ‘Floating Playhouse’ started to evolve, just as the global pandemic began.

Pencil sketches were used to pin down the project idea during these studio workshops. These sketches were then refined and coloured, to visualise the feel and come up with the title; ‘The Floating Playhouse’. The pandemic reached the UK. Every team member had to leave the studio in Brockley and continue their work from home.

A final 3D visualisation sketch was used and the proposal was passed to the rest of the team at MW Architects for final approval. The scheme envisaged to reflect both the industrial heritage of the warehouses and the character of the current warehouse living environments. Its industrial past as seen through the use of hollow steel sections and fabric-like tarpaulin roofs showcased Haringey's previous textile factories.

Supported by team member Patricia, the project evolved into a remote digital discussion due to the pandemic, embracing technology such as BIM which we use on all of our projects here at MW Architects.

Our project reimagines a new temporary cluster of external studios, performance and market spaces based on gathering spaces and community places. We attempted to design a structure that is free-form yet rigorous, modular yet structural and a framework that allows the public to fabricate their own spaces. Inspired by the artist Todd Mclellan and Architect Yona Friedman, the scheme experiments on the notion of creating adaptable and ever-changing improvised volumes floating in space. This is achieved through this use of a cubic modular structure that could be assembled and reassembled in different formations.

It is proposed that the pavilion itself will be built from hollow steel sections that create four cubic modules, these are then multiplied in great numbers: a 400mm x 400mm cube, 600mm x 600mm cube, 1200mm x 1200mm cube and a 2400mm x 2400mm cube. The spaces and shapes of the pavilion are created from a process of addition, superimposition, subtraction and splicing of these units. These volumes can then be turned into workshops, performance and market spaces by employing a mix of up-cycled, - by disassembling and reassembling recycled products - low tech materials and timber components, which would then be deployed onto the steel structure.

In order for this to be constructed, the 'Floating Playhouse' would be split into 7 mini pavilions. Each mini pavilion to be built by the warehouse community in the district (i.e. The New River Studios, Overbury Road) alongside volunteers in order to create a varied approach to each modular design. Each of these structures will be displaced to neighbourhoods across London. Following on from community events at these locations, these 7 structures will evolve and all mini pavilions will be introduced onto the designated site to create one big pavilion. Where they intersect, like a Tetris puzzle, they will produce spaces together.

This simple manipulation of orthogonal spaces creates an artificial landscape with cave-like interiors, in some parts sheltered and other parts open. Defining this dynamic three- dimensional experience opens up the opportunity for the different volumes to be explored and used in a variety of ways, inside and outside. As the pavilion will be experienced on different floor levels, the steel frame gives the impression that platforms, panels and people are floating in space. As a result, it becomes an object experienced through movement, with repetition and consistency, but with variation and disruption at every turn.

Before being judged by the Tottenham Pavilion panel, the local community will be able to vote on their favourite entry. All 166 designs are now available to view here and residents of N4, N15, Amhurst Park and Stamford Hill can register online by 8th May to vote.

Managing Clients Expectations and Realisation Using Building Information Modelling

At MW Architects all of our drawings are produced using ArchiCAD; from initial design sketches to detailed construction packages. Following its launch in 1987, ArchiCAD was the first CAD product on a personal computer able to create both 2D and 3D geometry. Now in version 23 it has won BIM product of the year 9 times on the trot. We use the program to develop all of our designs in 3D, ensuring a higher level of accuracy and quality than is achievable with the use of 2D CAD alone.

The built-in ArchiCAD features allow our clients to examine our models either wholly or in custom segments. The resulting 2D output we produce therefore consists of the highest level of accuracy possible. Our approach, made possible with the use of ArchiCAD, allows us to tackle each project with the capacity to push the boundaries whilst keeping the process efficient. With the ability to see through the entire design process from concept to project realisation within the same 3D platform, our team avoids many of the costly and timely hiccups that occur when small alterations need to be implemented once projects are on-site.

ArchiCAD simulates physical building designs within one comprehensive 3D model that integrates information from all aspects of the design. Views, plans, sections and elevations are all created automatically and remain up to date with any alterations made to the building model on which they are based. Developing a design and producing output is a fast and efficient process using this method of working . We believe it is important to make full use of the latest technologies to not only help us design, but also to communicate our ideas as effectively as possible to clients, planners, and contractors.

ArchiCAD provides the opportunity to use both real-time realistic visualisations and Virtual Reality. The use of these top end technologies allow us and clients to fully comprehend the look, feel and light quality of proposals, as well as compare different material finishes.

Our ability to export Virtual Reality enabled ArchiCAD models to BIMx, allows us to easily integrate Virtual Reality into our design process. MW Architects offer clients a complementary BIMx model that can be opened on smart phones and tablets, giving clients the opportunity to explore realistic 3D renditions of design proposals. This means they can effectively feed in to the process, whilst remaining fully informed of all developments. As well as clients, contractors also have the ability to utilise BIMx models. Not only can they be used to better understand projects, but also as a tool for communication during site meetings ArchiCAD has proven invaluable to us in all aspects of our work. With its use we feel confident in communicating our design intent, tackling challenges, and ensuring efficiency at all stages of a project. The scheduling tools help us to maintain coordinated information about sanitary ware, lighting, electrics, windows, doors, and windows, with little room for error or misunderstandings. Fully modelling and resolving our design proposals in 3D not only forces us to consider every single aspect and junction of a design, but also gives us the ability to produce high quality imagery paramount, for the successful and smooth running of every design project.

Elgin Avenue - to be featured in Don't Move Improve 2020

Don’t Move Improve 2020. Photography by French + Tye.