Melfield Gardens

Planning Granted

Levitt Bernstein

An affordable, intergenerational housing development for older people and postgraduate students, with generous and welcoming communal spaces, designed to Passivhaus standard.

Melfield Gardens is a highly sustainable, affordable housing scheme on a constrained site in Lewisham. It is designed to Passivhaus as the first step towards zero carbon. Designed for Phoenix Community Housing, most of the new homes are for people aged over 55 years, with some accommodation allocated for postgraduate students from Goldsmiths to bring the benefits of intergenerational housing. In return for spending a few hours each week with older residents, the students will be charged a lower rent.

NEW LONDON AWARDS 2021

Shortlisted in the UNBUILT category
Melfield Gardens is a highly sustainable, affordable housing scheme on a constrained site in Lewisham. It is designed to a Passivhaus standard as the first step towards zero carbon. Most of the new homes are for people aged over 55 years, with some accommodation allocated for postgraduate students from Goldsmiths to bring the benefits of intergenerational housing. In return for spending a few hours each week with older residents, the students will be charged a lower rent. The homes are highly flexible and dual aspect.

Zero Carbon London

→ 55% reduction in carbon

→ 30% reduction in carbon through the fabric
alone and 17% through renewable energy

→ <15kWh/m2/yr space heating demand

A highly sustainable, affordable housing scheme for people aged over 55 years, with some accommodation allocated for postgraduate students from Goldsmiths to bring the benefits of intergenerational housing. The east/west orientation of the site is not ideal for Passivhaus, so it was essential to optimise the ‘form factor’ by keeping the massing simple for both the two subtlety-cranked buildings. The size and placement of the triple- glazed windows have been carefully considered in relation to orientation, and shutters will be used to prevent overheating on the west-facing facades. Brick banding, slight recesses, ribs and columns will add expression without adversely impacting the high thermal performance of the wall build-ups.

Project information

Status

Planning Granted

Borough

Lewisham

Size

2570 sq m

Completion

2023

Location

12 Melfield Gardens, London SE6 3AH, UK

Team Credits