Single Aspect Blog

“It is easier for outsiders to gain access to and linger in the interior areas of a building shared by 24 to 100 families than it is in a building shared by 6 to 12 families.” – Oscar Newman

Section 3 kicks off with a welcome objection to blocks with single aspect “hotel” flats.

“. . . apartment buildings with long, double-loaded corridors.  These are more suited to a short-stay hotel and do little to foster a permanent sense of home.”

3.1 Entrance and Approach

Their comments here are apparently drawn from two sources being the writings of Alice Coleman; and the Lifetime Homes criteria.  They relate both to common sense surrounding accessible and overlooked entrances and space for people in wheelchairs.

“The design of the threshold between the public realm of the street and the private realm of the home affects people’s sense of security in, and ownership of, their homes.”

Donnybrook has none – I think that’s worth considering when a new development dumps the owners directly on to the street.

3.2 Shared Circulation Within Buildings

Alice Coleman and Oscar Newman can be “heard” in the background here, their shared research and wisdom cascading down the years but with less direct influence than I would have liked.  The following bodes well:-

“Housing based on double-loaded corridors has particular limitations both in the single-aspect dwellings they demand and in the circulation spaces, which are often poorly lit and ventilated.”

and continues in much the same vein . . .

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2.1 Appropriate Density

This looks like common sense but I’m sad to say it went over my head when it got on to public transport accessibility levels, although all they’re really saying is don’t build housing where there aren’t good transport links or put in good transport links to where there is isolated housing.

Does Thamesmead come to mind?  It did to me.  Look at it on Google Earth, stuck out there by the river accessible only by bus.  One of the hopes of Crossrail was that the full version would reach Thamesmead but with the budget cuts I don’t know whether or not this will happen, but I can’t help thinking that Boris and his advisers had Thamesmead in mind when they wrote the following:-

“We must avoid the problems that occur when large populations are concentrated in inaccessible places without the necessary facilities.”

Page 29 carries a table whose comprehension I have failed miserably but I’m happy to read that some consideration has been given to the viability of new communities.  Sorry, this isn’t really my area, I prefer talking about the floor plans of good houses and bad flats.

2.2 Residential Mix

Mix of Dwelling Sizes

They start out here talking about the over supply of 1 and 2 bed flats, then move on to what is undoubtedly an important topic in my view which is how to incorporate children into flats by including private outdoor space.  Single aspect flats with so called Juliet balconies are certainly not suitable for families with children in my view because there is no amenity space for the children, and as they grow the problems will worsen.

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1.1 Defining Places

A good start. A lot of common sense which made me think of Islington and Belgravia when they talk about “a strong and consistent architectural character” and made me feel a bit sad having recently walked the Holly Street estate in Hackney and wondered why it wasn’t built in the same style as the surrounding streets.

I like the Alice Coleman references such as “There should also always be clear distinctions between spaces that are for public and private use.” She made a big play of that in “Utopia on trial” and walking around Holly Street recently made me conscious that the architects there had made a determined effort to clearly demarcate front gardens and the area in front of ground floor flats, with iron railings to provide defensible space.

Again, with “placing entrances and windows on street frontages and around public spaces brings activity which in turn increases neighbourliness and security by passive surveillance.”  All good stuff straight from the Oscar Newman and Alice Coleman school of thought.

1.2 Outdoor Spaces

“Spaces that receive some direct sunlight are used more frequently and enjoyed for longer periods throughout the year”.  I like that and I think that a communal outdoor space would have to be very small, or greatly overshadowed not to receive direct sunlight, but I can see the principle of not placing tall buildings next to a communal outdoor space and think that’s a good thing.

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