Urban Renewal in Hoe Street, Walthamstow
When approached to assess the potential to develop an existing car park behind a Victorian terrace on Hoe Street, Walthamstow, we analysed the existing building and saw a larger opportunity to transform the existing flats at the same time.
The existing building consisted of a solicitor’s office on the ground floor facing Hoe Street linking three former terrace properties. The upper storeys had been converted into seven small studio flats which would not comply with today’s space standards. Incongruous steel freestanding staircases and deck access provide access to the studios from the car park obscuring and disfiguring the original building.
the car park we propose an infill development between the terraces on Hoe Street and Daventry Avenue. This will allow the formation of a new light well behind the existing building and provide space for a communal staircase to the flats. The new flats fully replace or upgrade the existing units providing a greater range of accommodation in line with current minimum space standards providing four one-bed, four two-bed and one three-bed units.
The development provides an ideal opportunity for a contemporary addition and incorporates robust and high quality materials of brick and standing seam roof which sit comfortably with the existing context. The proposed design sensitively respects the existing scale and massing of neighbouring buildings and reinforces the form of the two terraces whilst at the same time acknowledging the historic relationship between the original structures. The existing street pattern is respected and views up and down Daventry Avenue are enhanced with the removal of the view of the unsightly steel staircases and access decks.
A daylight and sunlight has been carefully calculated and the buildings massing set out to minimise any loss of daylight to existing windows. Dual aspects flats have been designed throughout ensuring a variety of views without impacting on privacy as well as allowing natural ventilation.
The proposed building fabric, thermal bridging details and heating, cooling and ventilation systems will provide a large reduction in energy use and achieve a 38% CO2 reduction through improved fabric and service efficiencies including the installation of a photo-voltaic array equal to 9 kWp equating to a site wide emission rate of 8,061 KgCO2/year and an annual energy requirement of 48,450 kWh/year.
