Winner!
We are thrilled to share that Acklam Road, London, has won the Inside Housing Award for ‘Best Affordable Housing Development (under £20 million)’!
The Inside Housing Awards celebrate the very best residential developments across the UK over the past year, striving towards more sustainable solutions and projects that put the needs of the communities they serve first. We are thrilled that Acklam Road has been recognised.
A significant housing project for the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) as part of their New Homes Programme, the project provides 32 new homes, including 20 social rent homes, alongside market rent homes and community facilities at ground floor.
The eight-storey building sits adjacent to the elevated Westway A40 dual carriageway into West London, which stands some 8 metres above ground, and presented a unique set of challenges that were successfully navigated during the project’s development. The building achieves exacting fire and wider technical requirements, as well as creating desirable homes where people will choose to live.
The eight-storey building sits adjacent to the elevated Westway A40 dual carriageway into West London, which stands some 8 metres above ground, and presented a unique set of challenges that were successfully navigated during the project’s development. The building achieves exacting fire and wider technical requirements, as well as creating desirable homes where people will choose to live.
HNW Architects technical delivery role on the project necessitated extensive collaboration with key stakeholders in order to realise the vision, this included RBKC and NHBC, as well as the separate Planning, Fire and Building Control departments. Particular attention has been required around thermal, acoustic and fire performance, sourcing and communicating compliance with specific requirements of the technical design were paramount to enable its effective and successful completion on site.
The intricate brickwork features a pattern that acknowledges the unique texture on the neighbouring Al-Manaar building’s lower façade. This bold reimagination of the surrounding context not only grounds the building within its locality but also ensures its distinctiveness in the surrounding neighbourhood.
The intricate brickwork features a pattern that acknowledges the unique texture on the neighbouring Al-Manaar building’s lower façade. This bold reimagination of the surrounding context not only grounds the building within its locality but also ensures its distinctiveness in the surrounding neighbourhood.
In order to provide a usable and appealing amenity space for residents within the confines of the constrained site, the new building also imaginatively incorporates a third-floor podium garden. The elevated garden space includes seating, soft landscaping, and incidental play elements catering for younger children.
As a majority affordable-housing led scheme, the judges were pleased to see the efforts that have been made in the quality of the architectural design and provision of pleasant amenity for residents of the scheme, including the podium gardens and community spaces. Providing homes with winter gardens is also a real advantage in high-rise urban schemes. The design is both efficient on a tight infill site and attractive. Thought has been given to ensuring homes on upper floors are dual aspect. Overall, for a relatively small development, much thought has clearly been given to the quality of the building and enjoyment of the residents who will make their homes in the building.
Award Judges
We’re incredibly proud to have been a part of a great team that helped to deliver this award-winning project!
October 2024