The public realm - What makes a new development an enviable community?
In September 2016, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he wants to “embed cultural objectives into all his regeneration interventions in order to improve community participation and bolster social integration.” There have been a number of developers who have risen to the challenge not just in the capital but across the UK, so we ask the question, what transforms a regular new build development into a fantastic community where residents feel a sense of place?
Here are four of our favourite developments that seem to have answered that question.
Open spaces between buildings
Last year’s winner of the coveted Best Public Realm award at the WhatHouse? Awards 2016 was the Goodman’s Fields development in London E1 by Berkeley Homes. “The space between the buildings is where people meet and talk, Berkeley invests in the landscape and the public realm just as much as the internal design of every home,” says Berkeley group chairman Tony Pidgley.
It’s clear to see why Goodman’s Fields won this award, with more than 1,000 mixed-tenure apartments in the development that seamlessly fuses city living with stunning, imposing bronze sculptures of horses and illuminated water features in the piazza that are often featured in selfies from passersby and even are the location of some wedding photographs! Sculpted by Hamish Mackie, Goodman’s Fields has been transformed from its previous life as an RBS building to giving a beautiful nod to its past life where horses once grazed.
Festival living
Another WhatHouse? Awards winner from 2014 and 2016 comes from Edinburgh-based Quartermile Developments. Quartermile sits on the site formerly occupied by the former Royal Infirmary and is just a ‘quarter mile’ from Edinburgh Castle. Situated in the heart of Scotland’s bustling, cultural capital, if you are looking for a new home that ensures you are at the heart of the action then this is the place to be! With many apartments looking towards Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat and the beautiful Meadows, every aspect of what makes a great community and home in the heart of the city has been thought of.
Featuring modernist architecture that’s juxtaposed with historic architecture, Quartermile features outstanding design from master planners Foster & Partners and is moments away from Princes Street, making you a hop, skip and a jump from the infamous Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A development that champions the old and the new, Quartermile is perfect for city dwellers and features a growing list of retail outlets as well as fitness facilities aplenty.
Brown field to a community hub
Sustainability, community and regeneration, they are all buzzwords in the world of property development and a fantastic example of how this is done comes from another London development. Royal Albert Wharf by Notting Hill Sales is situated close to Gallions Reach DLR and is only 20 minutes away from Canary Wharf making it the perfect location for those wanting to live in the heart of the bustling Docklands.
Bordered by water on three sides, the development will feature 1,500 new homes in different tenures including Shared Ownership, demonstrating that new build living isn’t just for the luxury market. It features work spaces where artists from across the capital can use the workshop space for their own installation projects. Cafés and bars will line the dock where a 100-year old Edwardian ‘Pump House’ still operates while a tree-lined square will act as a focal point for the community. During the weekend residents can expect yoga classes, cooking classes and there’ll even be a craft club for children! Located close to Beckton Park, the Thames Barrier and Royal Victoria Gardens, Royal Albert Wharf is redefining how to reinvent a neglected brownfield site and transforming it into a sustainable community for generations to come.
Top trumps in the Meadow
Combining scenic countryside with city centre living isn’t easy to achieve, but the nation’s largest housebuilder – Barratt Homes has made it look easy with its award-winning development, Trumpington Meadows in Cambridgeshire. Less than three miles from Cambridge city centre, this development is set within a 148-acre country park and boasts beautiful design features and fantastic layouts.
What sets Trumpington Meadows apart is its thriving village community that also features a brand new primary school within the development, ensuring that future generations can form life-long friendships. Residents can also take advantage of the guided busway directly from Trumpington to Cambridge city centre for only £1.30 single making shopping trips into Cambridge quick, easy and cheaper than taking the car. But don’t just take our word for it, we recently visited Barratt’s Trumpington Meadows and broadcast live on Facebook from its show home, so you can take a sneak peak at this award-winning development without lifting a foot!
Who will win the WhatHouse? Awards 2017 Best Public Realm award?
It seems developers across the UK have risen to the community and arts building challenge. Sustainable new build developments are about much more than bricks and mortar, they’re about creating a sense of place for new homeowners, so they are buying more than a home, they are investing in their community, and they’re investing in their future.
If you’re a housebuilder and you’re reading this article and you think your development can rival the above, then why don’t you bite the bullet and submit your entry for the Best Public Realm award at the WhatHouse? Awards 2017? You never know, your development could end up featuring in this year’s Judges' Report!