11 February 2010
Southern Housing Group has announced Lewes housing development, the Printworks, as the winner of its fifth annual Design Awards. The design panel met in early December to assess the design quality of new build schemes completed between April 2008 and March 2009.
The panel is made up of the Group’s Development Committee and a resident representative. This year’s resident judge was Luke Trimby, who lives at West Village in Reading.
Using the Homes and Communities Agency’s design industry standard, Building for Life, the panel considered a range of design elements, including appearance, context, quality of build, energy efficiency and fitness for purpose. The views of residents, and Operations and Sales and Marketing staff were also evaluated.
Winning scheme
The Printworks in Lewes impressed judges with its ‘aesthetic brilliance’, and was described a ‘class act’ in terms of design. The panel praised the development for achieving the challenging task of maintaining a distinctive, modern appearance, while fitting seamlessly into the centre of a historic market town.
Attention to detail was the clinching factor for the winning scheme. The signage, hard landscaping, and use of flint stone to mirror the wall at the rear of the scheme demonstrate a careful and innovative approach to design.
Chair of Southern Housing Group’s design panel, Nigel Dorling, said:
“The Printworks represents the Group’s best designed scheme for last year. Congratulations to the teams involved and thanks to everyone who provided information to enable the assessments to be made. The Group will continue to improve the quality of design of the schemes we build so that they are an asset to the organisation in the long term, and a place where residents are proud to live.”
Resident, Mr David Altendorff, said:
“I moved into the Printworks in October last year, and have been really happy living here. The big selling points for me were the design of the communal space and the roof terrace, which has fantastic views. There are so many advantages to living here. I’m close to the town as well as the train station. I was living with my mum before I moved here, so it’s great to have my own space!”
Justine Moles, an associate at r h partnership architects, said:
“The Printworks has received a number of awards including a Green Apple Award and the Sussex Heritage Award 2009 for large scale residential buildings. Our overall aim was to respond appropriately to the surroundings and provide equivalence across private and affordable dwellings. Having achieved Eco Homes ‘Very Good’ we believe the scheme is a sustainable, modern and contextual insertion that knits almost seamlessly into its historic context.”
Out of a total of 29 schemes completed in 2008/9, six schemes were shortlisted.
The shortlisted schemes were:
The Printworks, Lewes
Admiralty Quarter, Portsmouth
Sandale Close, Hackney
Sandgate Mews, Folkestone
Scholars’ Place, Reading
Wellington Court, Barking