New Apartments on a Derelict Site in a World Heritage City

These two new apartments are located on a tight, steep site in Bath. The World Heritage status of the city of Bath means that any proposal for new buildings needs to be exceptionally well designed. It also needs to developed in close consultation with the local planning authority.

This site consists of an unused brownfield land on a steeply sloping site. The redevelopment of the site offers the potential for the construction of new contemporary, sustainable dwellings that address the local the housing need, design requirements and environmental aspirations of the Local Authority.

The gradient of the site along with an analysis of previous buildings on the site have helped to define the form and massing of the three storey proposal.

The materials and construction are specified to be as healthy and robust as possible whilst the building itself will seek to reduce resource consumption. This includes water and energy consumption through good construction, good natural ventilation and good natural light. The external fabric of the building will be highly insulated with excellent airtightness and minimal cold bridging to reduce heat loss.

The layout is defined to ensure the character of the area is preserved and enhanced, to maximise views across the river and city centre and to minimise the impact of the development on neighbouring properties.

Taking advantage of the natural gradient of the site, each apartment is formed of split levels and double height spaces. This will encourage natural light to flow through to the rear of the development and will allow greater connectivity between living spaces, as well as providing spectacular views across the city.