Lockerbie tenants given first glimpse of new ‘house’ architecture
October 18 2018
Cunninghame Housing Association are to deliver 45 new homes for social rent on the former Lockerbie Academy site on Glasgow Road, Lockerbie, following the completion of demolition works.
Plans filed with Dumfries & Galloway Council by Collective Architecture detail formation of a shared surface crescent fronted by semi-detached homes, terraces and cottage flats.
In a statement the architects explained: “Elevations look to utilise a series of repeating architectural elements, namely projecting bays, dormer windows, chimneys and projecting eaves. The combination of these elements looks to form a recognisable ‘house’ architecture which respects the local context. Dormers are used to street elevations to create distinct corners and provide a rhythm to longer elevations.
“The new houses can be read as restrained buildings, with strong horizontally proportioned walls / bays and roofs to main elevations, counterbalanced by vertically proportioned windows within dormers. The horizontality of the elevations is further emphasised by long, horizontal windows below the eaves to the first floor.
Respecting the predominant character of Locharbriggs sandstone and slate these properties will be finished in red facing brick with fibre cement slate.
14 Comments
Complicated form means complicated build means inflated costs means organised theft from the working class.
They've somehow confused respecting for ignoring.
Do you EVER have anything to say that is positive, meaningful or constructive? EVER?
rant over.
I fear the complexity will generate costs that future residents / social housing group will not be able to support.
I applaud some of the detail but other elements have white elephant written all over them.
Or are we all to be invited to cycle on the pavement?
Trendy wendy design techno-babble that sets up an unfair fight -- cars vs pedestrians.
Libertarian nonsense at its finest.
Pavements -- the nanny state at its worst.
Looking at the above two images, there is a strong enough sense that this is a 'human' environment that has been created and will mature with age.
The individual architects' design foibles are neither here nor there. It's the overall 'feel' that is of importance as StyleCouncil pointed out re Ebenezer Howard.
The concept of a tolerance stack also comes into play -- individually OK but system-wide fail.
The design is fussy -- it has some nice touches but overall it is trying to hard to make a statement where none is needed.
Regarding the "shared surface public realm" -- this concept has been a bit of a slow burner but if it has reached Lockerbie the idea is gaining traction and entering the mainstream. I think it is a very dangerous concept and it needs a stake driven through its heart.
The idea might be radical -- think Nick Clegg / yellow Book Liberalism -- but it is in no way progressive.
Post your comments
Back to October 2018
Like us on Facebook
Become a fan and share