Bermondsey Spa Site J | 296
Location
Bermondsey Spa
Type
Residential Scheme with Community Nursery
Year
2003
Client
Enterprise Plc
Our design for the site proposes a series of buildings which incorporate a variety of different uses and requirements.
At the southern end of the site, the existing Nursery Building is retained with its special relationship to the Playground together with public access through to the Churchyard. Next door to the Nursery it is proposed to build a new Rectory, or Vicarage, set in its own garden looking out to the Churchyard in order to open up views. This simple three storey house is designed to be similar to the other new buildings adjacent.
To the north of the new Vicarage will be the main building of terraced family houses with private gardens. This will follow the previous line of the former housing which occupied the site until 1984. The building is set back from the road behind a landscaped front area and low wall, preserving the existing trees in the street, as on the opposite side of the street.
Beyond the terrace housing and next to ‘The Gregorian’ Public House is a new nursery on the ground and basement floors of a block of small apartments suitable for key workers. It is set back further from the street and apart from the terrace with a wide entrance court which doubles as a new way through to the Churchyard as well as giving access to the nursery and apartments. Views from St James’ Road are of the Church and its memorable steeple and the Churchyard
A restricted palette of materials of dark brick and paler earthy coloured panels with simple rectangular window and door openings with light coloured frames compliment the colours of the materials of the surrounding streets and buildings and blend with them in a satisfying way. The deciduous trees conveniently also provide solar shading to the facades in summer and open views through their branches in the winter.
We use a combination of construction technologies to achieve the simple appearance of our building. Traditional dense concrete block work cross wall construction with the latest precast concrete floor planks between dwellings combines the speed of prefabricated construction with the solidity and traditional mass required to ensure good sound insulation between units. Where floors and walls are not party floors and walls, prefabricated timber panel construction is used again contributing to speed of construction as well as high standards of thermal insulation, between interior and exterior.
Drawings
Models
