Lessons Learnt - Design for London

dist nces were necess ry in order to llow priv cy
nd m int in dist nces etween households nd
f milies. Tod y, there is we lth of typologies for
dwelling nd priv te menity sp ce, such s units
focused on intern l courty rds or roof terr ces.
Coupled with nd cre tive design of f c des nd
windows, these typologies c n help to overcome
this perceived o st cle while ensuring d ylight
nd ventil tion needs.
Residenti l-led mixed use schemes lso r ise
set of issues reg rding sep r tion etween upper
level residenti l uses nd ground floor ret il or
worksp ce uses. This is p rticul rly so where
ret il uses include rest ur nts. These re re s
where there re potenti l for conflicts of use
rel ting to noise, smells, deliveries nd evening
nd night-time ctivities.
The form of higher density development m y lso
r ise dist nce issues. In m ny c ses, incre sing
densities will lso ent il incre sing uilding
heights. This r ises questions of rights of light
p rticul rly where newer t ller uildings m y c st
sh dows on neigh ouring properties for much of
the d y. Ag in, m ny typologies exist to overcome
these issues, such s courty rd schemes or roof
top g rdens nd terr ces. A further re of concern
is the ppro ch to side nd re r elev tions. The
investment in rchitectur l interest nd qu lity is
often reserved for f c des th t f ce the streets.
However, the f c des of re r nd side elev tions
will e s import nt to neigh ouring properties nd
existing property owners s they re the f c des
they re most likely to see on d ily sis.
There is cle r rgument for reconsidering some
of the long est lished dist nces nd st nd rds
given ch nging uilding technologies nd
lifestyles nd inste d focus on resolving other
more contempor ry concerns such s noise nd
smell etween neigh ours, the det iled tre tment
76 HOUSING INTENSIfICATION IN SEVEN SOUTH LONDON TOWN CENTRES AND THEIR EDGES
of side nd re r f c des, nd security. Best design
nd pl nning pr ctices nd guid nce in these
re s c n e further highlighted, consolid ted nd
promoted.
Logistics and services
A further issue likely to e ex mined in
development control processes is the ppro ch
to logistic l rr ngements nd servicing of new
residenti l uildings. Given th t m ny of these
uildings will h ve higher residenti l se
th n the uildings they repl ce, there m y e
ddition l p rking requirements ssoci ted with
them, even though London Pl n policies seek to
minimise this. Depending on their loc tion within
London, even re s with moder te or high pu lic
tr nsport ccessi ility levels, the m rket m y
expect close to one p rking sp ce per one or
two units; c r-free development m y not lw ys
e commerci lly fe si le yet. This c n h ve
signific nt imp ct on the rchitecture of the
development.
Other issues re r ised y the ppro ch to
servicing of uildings. This includes the loc tion
of ins nd the m nner in which refuse is stored
prior to collection. In n er in which recycling is
incre singly import nt, the provision of stor ge
re s for recycl le domestic m teri ls must
lso e ddressed. Equ lly, secure icycle
stor ge will h ve to e considered in ny housing
design. furthermore, where more complex
mixed-use rr ngements re proposed, such s
the integr tion of l rge-sc le ret il or worksp ce
components, servicing nd delivery ecomes
cruci l to the qu lity of the over ll scheme. The
c se study scen rios cite design str tegies y
which this c n e resolved.
Emerging sust in ility requirements m y lso
h ve implic tions for the outw rd ppe r nce