Church Road

Development
20 units
Density
94 units/ha
Gdv
£7.9m

Added value

4 units extra / £1.6m gdv

"A high quality design that is a well thought response to a very difficult site, creating attractive buildings, that have a strong character."

Juliana Conde | Urban Design Officer | LB Ealing

Located on a complex corner site in Ealing, Autor has delivered 20 homes inside a staggered building arrangement that has been built using a hybrid CLT construction system. This infill housing development has been created despite a large number of constraints that made all prior proposals unviable.

Following an in-depth analysis of the local area and its history – from Roman settlements until present day – the team discovered that a series of ancient routes could help define the contemporary design and orientation of the new building. The spires of three local churches provided inspiration and context to create three dramatically pitched roofs that rise up out of the interconnected block. These forms contain a series of balconies that project out over the landscape below, providing more space for residents.

The interiors have been carefully sculpted three-dimensionally to work within the unusual geometric configuration of the building and also to create double-height living spaces. Tilted openings at the rear protect neighbours from overlooking (a key site constraint) while allowing light to enter the homes, creating a delicate interplay of shadows that change across the course of the day.

Autor devised a specific prefabricated construction technique for the development that involved a hybrid approach of cross-laminated timber (CLT) and timber cassettes. This combined the best worlds of precision engineering and reduced costs. It also improved site access and reduced disruption during the build.