Pedestrian Route Identified: Plashet Road

Acclaimed architecture firm Levitt Bernstein has completed its first Passivhaus-certified social housing project in Newham, London. Dubbed Plashet Road, the development offers 65 affordable homes and a nursery designed to meet the council's sustainability objectives. The initiative replaces an underutilized site and introduces energy-efficient residences prioritizing occupants' well-being.

Nicola Jaques, an associate at Levitt Bernstein, discussed the studio's approach to the Plashet Road site with Architecture Today. "We prioritized the preservation of perimeter trees, necessitating the placement of new homes within this green buffer, with streets and front gardens set apart," she said. Initial investigations revealed that optimizing the number of new homes was achievable through courtyard development, featuring a central shared amenity space. Multiple communal access points were also required to create viewing corridors towards the garden and surrounding streets.

TheProject's strategic location among mature plane trees envelops the site. The urban context demanded a thoughtfully considered building footprint to provide generous green spaces and a landscaped central courtyard, creating a serene environment for residents and the community.

A diamond-patterned red brick plinth stretches along the lower facade, echoing local architectural traditions found in neighboring streets, thus harmonizing the building with its surroundings. The circulation system seamlessly integrates internal shared pathways and deck access, ensuring dual-aspect homes with optimal orientation and natural ventilation. Deck access routes and balconies were designed thoughtfully, positioned to maximize daylight and solar gain on south or west facades, while placing access decks on north or east facades with less critical window size requirements. The arrangement advances the quality of living spaces and fosters passive surveillance onto the courtyard and nearby streets.

Larger units, such as three-bedroom homes, are situated on corners with windows on outer walls, guaranteeing privacy and enhanced daylight levels. The homes have achieved Passivhaus Classic certification, boasting dual- or triple-aspect layouts that optimize natural ventilation and daylight, thus reducing the necessity for mechanical systems and, in turn, lowering energy bills and carbon emissions over the building's lifetime.

The project's mapping of units aimed to maximize daylight while aligning with Passivhaus objectives. "We collaborated closely with our in-house sustainability team and Etude to develop the layouts and massing, adopting a fabric-first approach and tailoring design principles in response to site orientation and Passivhaus criteria," explained Jaques. Furthermore, she pointed out the advantages of the Passivhaus standard: "The rigorous Passivhaus standard concentrated our efforts on delivering a high-quality building with lower energy consumption, resulting in reduced energy bills and lower carbon emissions for residents throughout the building's lifespan."

Windows were meticulously designed to meet Passivhaus standards, balancing daylight optimization, ventilation, and heat loss minimization. Inset brick surrounds enrich the perceived window size, contributing to a more aesthetically pleasing façade composition. Balustrades and balconies, meanwhile, combine brick elements for privacy and metal railings, bolstering natural ventilation and daylight through adjacent glazed doors leading to living rooms behind. Opening vents above fixed panes further boost ventilation efficiency, upholding the Passivhaus commitment to reduced energy consumption.

Living spaces were strategically positioned away from access decks in Plashet Road, with kitchens, bathrooms, and storage areas situated on north and east orientations. Such placement ensures dual or triple aspects for each home, with one aspect always facing a quiet area to facilitate secure natural ventilation and cross ventilation in one- and two-bedroom units.

Although the project employs a concrete structural frame, studies by structural engineers led to proposals gauged to minimize embodied carbon. "We opted for the structural frame proposal with the smallest volume to help reduce embodied carbon, and layouts were modified accordingly," said Jaques.

The nursery, in addition to the 65 units provided, is specifically designed for flexibility and supports various community programming uses, providing a wide range of resources to residents of all ages.

"We are proud to have delivered 65 energy-efficient homes here at Plashet Road," Jacque said, concluding the project's significance in sustainable housing design, reflecting the firm's unwavering dedication to creating people-centered, high-quality living spaces that are sustainable, inclusive, and accessible.

Credits

Client: London Borough of Newham
Architect: Levitt Bernstein
Structural Engineer: Heyne Tillett Steel
Mechanical and Engineering Consultant: Max Fordham
Quantities Surveyor: Philip Pank Partnership
Passivhaus Consultant: Etude
Sustainability Consultant: XC02
Daylight and Sunlight Consultant: XCo2
Fire Consultant: Joule Group
Landscape Consultant: Levitt Bernstein
Acoustic Consultant: Max Fordham
Principal Designer: Levitt Bernstein
Main Contractor: Bugler Developments

(Note: Levitt Bernstein and Etude were the only consultants who continued their work post-planning, collaborating with the contractor and delivery team.)

Additional Images

The thoughtful layout of the Plashet Road development prioritizes the preservation of perimeter trees and green spaces, creating a serene environment that fosters a lifestyle harmonious with the natural surroundings and home-and-garden sensibilities.
The energy-efficient homes designed by Levitt Bernstein meet the council's sustainability objectives, offering a balanced landscape that combines modern architecture with landscaped gardens, thus promoting a lifestyle that values environmental responsibility.