Radical Housing by Caroline Dove

Author:Caroline Dove
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: RIBA Publishing
Published: 2020-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

Shared and collective behaviour is seen as central to the success of Hanham Hall and this philosophy is extended through design to most aspects of the development: shared spaces, shared parking, shared energy, shared services and shared management. As Hanham Hall is run by its residents, in the form of a Community Interest Company, it promotes an active community with car-sharing clubs, gardening groups and walking school bus projects.

WHAT MAKES IT A SUCCESSFUL MULTIGENERATIONAL PLACE TO LIVE?

Whilst Hanham Hall has been tailored very closely to its specific environment, its underlying design approach provides a model for sustainable placemaking that can be replicated anywhere, the key ingredients being a holistic approach to design and an understanding that people want to be empowered rather than coerced to live sustainably.

Hanham Hall is a beautifully landscaped, friendly and open place. The homes themselves have attracted older residents from elsewhere in the country who have moved to Hanham to live in a sustainable community. The development provides housing for people at all stages of their life. Homes are grouped in terraces, semi-detached and detached to create varied urban form. A significant proportion of the homes are family homes with parking in-curtilage or adjacent to the home. Smaller apartments provide an accessible entry level to the housing market, whilst coach houses provide a good intermediate step between houses and apartments.

In December 2018, HTA Design LLP held a focus group with residents post-occupancy. Their positive feedback was telling, and reveals the success of the multigenerational approach. ‘One of the great things I love about living here [is that] the community is very strong and vibrant,’ said one. Another praised the benefits of schemes which make use of common garden facilities: ‘I live in a block of flats and we are all friendly here, but also out in the estate we are connected and can say hi to people. We have events too which allow us to socialise, but also the greenhouse we rent has built connections with neighbouring greenhouse renters.’ Finally, the sustainable construction lead to improved lifestyles and significant cost savings for inhabitants, with one explaining: ‘The houses here are just wonderfully efficient, so in terms of our energy bills they have been slashed. We were paying £250 on the electricity and now we’re paying £60 – this is good as my wife likes the house to be nice and toasty.’

Fig 2.2.6 HTA Design, Hanham Hall, Bristol, 2010. House plan; left ground floor and right first floor.

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