Aylesbury Estate

These designs were produced to enable an informed discussion between local community and the Council about the retrofit and expansion of the Aylesbury Estate using an approach that is less disruptive, much quicker and comes at lower cost (carbon and money).

We propose retaining many of the existing buildings to keep the embodied carbon. This allows the conversion of the empty flats into high quality and desirable yet useable accommodation very quickly and at much lower cost than a new build, using a TopHuis® approach. The retrofit of controversial blocks such as Wendover and Taplow removes inefficiencies from the original compromised design preventing opportunities for anti-social behaviour by creating more common entrances each serving a much smaller number of homes per terrace.

The heightened structural integrity (important for system built high rise) in TopHuis® is comprehensively firesafe and provides additional escape routes in an emergency. Upgrading the external envelope provides weather-tight homes that are warm in winter and cool in summer, allowing the building to be cleaned and maintained easily. The typical sociable deck access serving 4-5 homes per terrace is secure yet gives space to grow plants, improves biodiversity and allows people to get to know their close neighbours whilst also protecting the building from extreme sun and rain.

Send us an email if you would like to live in one of these or a similar home in Southwark.