Shackleton Heights, Bristol

The redevelopment of this site in Lockleaze, North Bristol is part of a wider regeneration strategy that has been implemented in the area over the last decade. The site was initially cleared in 2012 as part of the PRC Redevelopment Project, an initiative that set out to replace defective post war pre-cast concrete housing. The project provided an opportunity to provide much needed new housing on a brownfield site within an existing neighbourhood served by local services and public transport routes. The proposals built on the work of the local Neighbourhood Development Plan and the extensive community engagement process that accompanied it.

The site fronts onto two roads, each with a different character. Constable Road is the main road into Lockleaze from the West, running up the hill towards the shops and services of Gainsborough Square. Crome Road is a side street off Constable Road with a quieter feel characterised by post-war semi-detached houses. The design of the new housing reflects these different characters with the higher density terraced homes and flats facing the main road and the more suburban semi-detached houses with larger front gardens on Crome Road, the side street. The apartment buildings form a strong corner at the intersection of the two roads.

On Constable Road the new houses reaffirm the existing street pattern, stepping from one to the next to follow the incline of the road from west to east. Small front gardens provide a buffer from the pavement, and enhance the street scene with opportunities for planting and personalisation. The timber front porches help to provide protection and articulation to each front door. Whilst there is repetition of shape and form within the terraces of houses, each house is differentiated through the choice of different bricks and different coloured front doors. Similarly the flats have been designed to read as a series of town houses stepping up the hill articulated with different brick colours.

Four wienerberger bricks were chosen for their colour, texture and variation to provide a varied but complimentary palette. Pagus Grey, Kenilworth Antique, Postuni and Anglesey Weathered Buff, provide enough contrast between each brick to create the impression of continuous variation between the houses, but enough in common to form a welcoming and coherent street scene. The bricks all work well against the timber of the porch structures and the grey ion the windows.

Additional brick details were included to add articulation, texture and interest to the houses with a soldier course of bricks above each opening and alternating projecting courses of bricks at ground floor level to provide a rusticated base.