26 CASE STUDY
high quality builds and “the intimacy of a smaller community.”
Springbourne has set out to embody these traits at Hornsey Rise, and to raise the bar: “From the moment they the enter the homes, we want to wow visitors; it starts when you walk through the oak screen and front door and see a double height hall with connecting doors to the reception room. Your eye is then drawn to a contemporary oak staircase weaving its way throughout the void, and meeting the gallery landing.”
The internal layouts are intended to support modern family living, and as such offer open plan connected spaces, with large kitchen, dining and family rooms blending into the gardens through bifold- ing doors, large bedrooms with ensuites, and flexible breakout areas, snugs, cinemas and more, all kitted out to the highest specification. High-end brands chosen include Karndean flooring, kitchens with three ovens, built-in coffee machines, wine coolers, and Quooker instant boil taps. Other 'preselections' include Hans Grohe and Villeroy and Boch sanitaryware, and porcelain tiles from Porcelanosa.
Harris continues: “Luxury is experi- enced with every connection, opening a door, turning a tap, sliding your hand up the hand built staircase, or simply sinking your feet into the deep pile carpets and feeling the warming glow of the under- floor heating.”
INSPIRATION
Before any of this could be achieved however, it was first essential to find a home for these luxury designs. According to Harris, the site itself was in fact one of the main inspirations for the design of the entire project, offering a rich history and enviable views across the nearby landscape, both of which the team intended to make the most out of. In order to best achieve this, at this early stage of the project Leicestershire historian Nigel Palmer was commissioned to research the site’s history, with Springbourne using the research to decide how the land could best be treated. In this process, Palmer reportedly uncovered “an astonishing timeline,” which featured some of the most significant figures and notable events over the last millennium – the site dating back to the pre-Norman conquest days of Lady Godiva. It is mentioned in the Doomsday Book, and “directly linked” to five English Kings. Fast-forwarding to the existing build- ings on the 10 acre site, the team learned that it was developed by the then printers union as a convalescent home, opening in 1921. It then became a retreat for retired
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missionaries, but closed in 2012 when the home was no longer economically viable. In its prime, the site was reportedly regarded as a landmark location, boasting royal visits, distinguished gardens, and wide vistas. After being briefed on the site’s offer- ings, Harris tells me that Springbourne Homes chairman Adrian Burr immediately recognised the “fabulous potential of the site” and the “splendour of the surround- ings.” He acted quickly to meet the Aged Pilgrims Trust, who ran the missionary retreat, to agree the purchase, with a promise to restore the site to prominence and build beautiful homes.
REMEDIATION
The site’s parameters were defined, but as the previous building footprint had been respectful of its location, Springbourne were keen to show similar respect to the landscape, “countering any encroachment into country views and impacts of urbanised living.”
HOUSE TYPES IN THE SCHEME HAVE BEEN MIRRORED OR REPOSITIONED TO ENSURE THAT EVERY HOME IS DIFFERENTIATED
Three boundary lines were established – the first being the building line etched into the site at its midpoint, preventing the stretch of houses beyond the bound- aries of the previous forms. Secondly, a formal garden line defined the limit of lawn and spread of planting – blended into a natural meadow grass. Then, the final boundary forms the landscape ‘buffer,’ a natural margin that is beyond the ownership of the residents and a space that can be controlled and maintained for improved biodiversity. As soon as the project kicked off, a secure fence was erected around these boundaries, as the site would be vacant through the appraisal, design and planning processes. Despite these efforts however, the existing building was targeted by arsonists, making it struc- turally unsound, exposing asbestos ceilings and insulation, and requiring a “painful” remediation process. A demolition team was brought in to make the buildings safe while Springbourne continued to pursue planning, and a high security fence was erected in front of the existing fence to
prevent trespassing.
“By this time,” Harris says, “the buildings looked ‘wounded,’ scarred with graffiti – and the once beautiful gardens had become overgrown and largely inaccessible.”
As part of the careful demolition process, the majority of the materials were able to be recycled, either crushed and reused for roadways, or sold to salvage companies. Landfill was kept to less than 5%.
DESIGN BRIEF
While this work was ongoing, Springbourne had handed the design process over to Hayward Architects of Hinckley, with a brief to create a develop- ment of 19 homes “rich in architectural distinction,” and harnessing the site’s strong existing qualities.
Harris tells me that the team explored more contemporary options such as curtain walling, mono pitched roofs and contemporary materials. However they found that while such individual designs were strong and exciting statements in themselves, when presented in a street scene with each other, they actually diluted the effect. After extensive design sessions, the team arrived at a form they believed to be “familiar, yet majestic and classical.” This included double gabled, cathedral-style windows with expansive glazing, all set in oak frames.
“This resonated with the development’s rural aspects,” explains Harris, “and juxtaposed with the modern building technologies harnessed within.” He tells me that the strong building lines here are intended to be accented by the use of natural oak, which was an early choice as the prevailing material across the project, “holding the expanses of glass in natural skins that bring bold strength rather than the slender and sleekness of aluminium.”
PRACTICAL CHALLENGES While the use of timber solved the design challenge of blending the new homes into their surroundings, the material did create more practical challenges for the developer. An oak frame brings natural inconsistencies, for example, and some movement was anticipated in the design. This meant the connection details there- fore needed to respond, in order to remain air and weather tight. To ensure the best performance possible here, green oak frames would be prefabricated in offsite workshops and brought to site on flat bed lorries.
The original intention was to lower the frame sections in, secure to the external
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