Windmill Hill, HA4

This residential development is a mixed used residential and commercial development built on the site of a former office building. 24 new residential apartments are located on the upper floors with private balconies and a communal garden to the first floor. The ground floor provides 8,000 sq/ft of retail accommodation, parking for 24 cars along with associated servicing and landscaping.

The building integrates into the existing fabric of the town mirroring the three storey mixed-use buildings on Windmill Hill and Pembroke Road both in scale and use. The building’s residential entrance is set back on the quieter residential road respecting the line and massing of the existing houses.

The main elevations to the building are expressed in a contemporary tripartite arrangement distinguishing the ground and roof levels from the intermediate floors. This creates a horizontal emphasis to the building on Windmill Hill, which is modulated by the vertically articulated balconies. Corner balconies to the first and second floor apartments wrap around the building providing a focal point at the junction. The residential stair core is vertically expressed providing a presence to the residential entrance.

The ground floor consists of glazing to the two main elevations punctuated by concrete columns expressing the grid structure of the building. The first and second floors are clad in smooth red brick creating a plane punctured by the vertical slots for balconies to the living areas and a group of four square windows to the bedroom accommodation. Brick is used to maintain solidity to the building tying in with the surrounding masonry structures. The top storey is set back, lining through with the existing ridgeline of the adjacent buildings and is clad in patented standing seam zinc panels.

The apartments incorporate fresh air mechanical ventilation with heat exchangers minimising heat loss. The recessed balconies and third floor brise-soleil provide solar shading in the summer months preventing overheating and encourage passive solar gain in the winter months minimising energy consumption.

Status: Complete

Client: Q Developments Ltd

Floor Area: 4,331 sq/m