Hafer Road, SW11

Located in the London Borough of Wandsworth close to Clapham Common and Lavender Hill, 4-8 Hafer Road is a cooperative housing development replacing 8 existing flats on a former bomb damaged site with four maisonettes and a further 12 residential units.

A new basement provides accommodation for maisonettes naturally lit via two external courtyards to the rear and a continuous light well to the front spanned by entrance bridges to the maisonettes and communal entrances, two stair cores giving access to 8 flats above.

Flats are arranged with dual aspects with a combination of external terraces, projecting balconies and recessed terraces at roof level surmounted by a biodiverse brown roof with PV cells for renewable energy.

Working closely with the developer Kuropatwa Limited, Wandsworth Council and On the Rise Housing Cooperative, Mark Fairhurst Architects has developed the design after planning, to suit both the end user and prospective tenants detailed requirements.

The building was constructed in in-situ reinforced concrete frame with light gauge galvanised steel structural framing system for the external brick cavity wall support. This allows substantial thermal insulation and flexibility in opening positions for various window types and concealing rainwater down pipes within the external wall construction so as not to disrupt the neatness of the façade and internal space.

Composite tilt and turn inwardly open windows are specified to allow internal cleaning. Separate curtain walling system is used to clad the internal courtyards and external ‘fish tank’ windows to offer a frameless glazing expression and obstacle free vision. This was one of the most critical design revision decision being made during the technical design stage to satisfy client’s aspiration for more natural daylight penetration and consequently led to a smart and neat appearance for the building.

Started on site at the beginning of 2015, the construction for the development has completed in spring 2016.

Status: Completed 2016

Client/Developer: On the Rise Housing Co-operative

Contractor/Developer: Kuropatwa Ltd.

Floor Area: 1,517 sq/m