Our latest article for Building Magazine on ‘High Rise Residential’ explores the challenges faced in delivering viable accommodation at height set against the evolving impacts of safety and sustainability.
Historically there has always been a degree of public opposition to high rise living and certainly its application as a family dwelling proposition. Available outdoor space and safety being prime reasons for the negativity and this added to suburban swell led to a dearth of tall residential development during the 1980’s and 1990’s.
High rise living made somewhat of a comeback in the early 2000’s propped up by rising sales values and the development pipeline in London and other major UK cities continues to grow.
The tragic events at Grenfell added to growing climate consciousness and recent market pressures make the design and delivery of viable high rise residential a real challenge which at alinea we are encountering across a number of live schemes.
Ensuring the basic principles of repetition of efficient floor plates, both from a net: gross and wall: floor perspective remains paramount. This then needs to be delicately balanced against plant requirements, vertical transport, amenity (internal and external) and regulatory impact such as daylighting and overheating.
Understanding the heights at which these various challenges can impact the design of a scheme helps to guide clients and designers towards the most viable solution. Furthermore the use of Modern Methods of Construction can help to alleviate some of the more traditional barriers to viable tall residential, the benefits of such incorporation we seeing currently.
Should you wish to understand more around anything within the articles or to talk through our experiences on the subject please get in touch.
To read the full piece: CLICK HERE
