Felgrove Street, Auckland

Brief
Design social housing for a complex sub-division in Glendene.

Urban design in keeping with the neighbourhood
With its triangular shape and ground falling three metres from west to east, we quickly realised the challenges and constraints when considering the design for this development.

Working closely with our client Elaman, we decided to proceed with a layout consisting of nine terrace and duplex dwellings, with pedestrian and vehicular access via a joal (laneway) that leads to a landscaped courtyard at the rear of the site. One of the units includes Universal Design, providing easy access with a sloping path from the road to the front door.

Creating a sense of community and having spaces for residents to congregate were important aspects of the brief. As was the need to build healthy, warm, dry homes – all the properties are Homestar 6 rated.

A key design feature was the use of bricks throughout. The client had specified a low maintenance product that would stand the test of time. Rather than a traditional uniform brick approach, we designed different patterns to give the facades a contemporary aesthetic. Particular attention was given to the arrangement of windows, building form, access, and materiality on the street elevation to create a sense of address and identity. The material palette is predominantly light, natural tone brick, with a dark profiled metal roof.