Alpine House

Design ACB has been appointed by Jaysam Developments to develop a 1.4 ha mixed-use site in Brent, North London. The scheme consists of four blocks made up of approximately 140 residential units, 1,800m² of B1 office accommodation and six live/work units, as well as 25 underground car parking spaces. The project is currently in design development and will be submitted for pre-application dialogue in August.

The redevelopment of a former light industrial estate in North London, including demolition of the existing commercial units, is made up of four mixed-use 4 and 5-storey buildings, 100 car parking spaces, bicycle and refuse storage and associated landscaping, with the commercial and live/work accommodation acting as a buffer to the busy road and adjacent light industrial units.

Of the four buildings, three are clad in buff brick with bronze infill while the final block, containing most of the B1 accommodation at ground floor, reverses the materiality of the others and is clad in bronze. The buildings also feature a perforated metal and brick lattice with the ornamental pattern creating a point of interest, as well as providing a filtering screen to diffuse light and air flow.

The housing is designed to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 with 80% carbon dioxide reduction in Dwelling Emission Rate over 2010 building regulations, and 50% of the scheme’s carbon emissions being offset with onsite renewables. The commercial spaces will achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.

The development has a controlled ‘home zone’ area, minimising all but essential vehicular access, thereby creating a much improved pedestrian environment, with ample shared amenity spaces which residents and visitors can enjoy. There is also an element of private amenity space for one of the buildings, as well as a dedicated ‘play space’ to the north east of the site.

The courtyard spaces are designed to encourage social interaction amongst the community and can be accessed across the development. The landscaping provides privacy at ground floor level while circulation cores ensure passive surveillance.