Agar Grove 1a
Architype were delivery and Passivhaus architect on the UK’s largest Passivhaus scheme, originally design by Hawkins\Brown. The first phase of this 493 home scheme, offers 38 socially rented homes to existing Agar Grove estate tenants, enabling the next phase of development to move ahead.
Location
London, UK
Area
3,590 m2
Status
Completed
Year
2018
Client
Camden Council
Agar Grove is part of the Council’s Community Investment Programme and aims to promote a ‘fabric-first’ approach to increase energy performance. The new homes are built to achieve Passivhaus certification, significantly reducing heating bills by 70-90% compared with conventional homes.
Located North East of Camden Town on a site adjacent to two railway lines, the original Modernist estate dates from 1966. The site comprised 249 social-rented homes arranged in a series of low-rise blocks clustered around an eighteen-storey tower, served by its own shop and café. The estate’s layout and housing stock had become inefficient, outdated and disconnected from the wider city.
A large majority of the apartments are dual aspect with bedrooms elevated above ground floor level and living spaces benefitting from the South-facing aspect. A balcony running the full width of the façade offers panoramic views of central London from the mid-levels and above.
The first homes completed on the estate are spacious, modern and some of the most energy efficient in our portfolio, making them more sustainable for both the environment and our tenant’s heating costs…we can now look forward to providing more local families with a higher standard of accommodation and a rejuvenated estate.
Councillor Danny Beales, Cabinet Member for Investing in Communities at Camden Council
Vision
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Design
The new master plan is based upon the traditional concept of ‘streets and squares’ with an emphasis on creating liveable spaces between homes and improving pedestrian routes across the site. The overarching idea is to create a place where people want to live, and one that contributes positively to the surrounding area. A range of house types has been introduced including family terrace housing and maisonettes with gardens, as well as lateral flats with balconies.
Expertise
Delivering Passivhaus
Retaining and strengthening the client and contractors relationships has been an important part of delivering a successful technical service.
Project partners
Contractor
Hill Partnerships
Architects
Hawkins\Brown
Masterplan architects
Mae
Landscape architects
Grant Associates
Services engineer
Max Fordham
Structural engineer
Peter Brett Associates
Selected accolades
2021 Passivhaus Trust Awards – Large Project
2020 CIBSE Project of the Year – Residential
2019 New London Awards – Overall Winner
2019 The Mayor’s Award for Sustainable and Environmental Planning
2019 The Mayor’s Award for Good Growth
Key data
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