Positing a unique prototype for urban living, CASPAR Housing’s glazed-seam of bridges connects two multi-storey blocks of single-occupancy flats. The parallel blocks – one four-storey, the other five – are presented as individual structures with four elevations, connected by end-glazing, an over-sailing roof and a central shared courtyard. The lightweight bridges – individually accessing each of the 46 one and two bedroom flats – are a privacy-affording invention to replace shared decks and their staggered positions at the scheme’s centre is a move aimed at maximising natural light. The external canal and road-side faces of the building are clad in context-derived red brick, while the interior finish is opepe hardwood to emphasise the internal and more intimate nature of the courtyard.
Awards
- 2001 British Construction Industry Award
- 1999 Egan Demonstration Project
Exhibitions
- 2012 Venice Biennale of Architecture
