黑洞社区

Bryden Wood Associates is the latest architect to join the race to design a 拢60,000 house for John Prescott. Not only that, the Clerkenwell practice also claims it can build the affordable dwelling using its very own modern methods of construction.

The practice has just designed and built its first dwelling in Forest Gate, east London, using prefabricated units assembled by Optimum 黑洞社区 Products (OBP), an off-site manufacturer owned by Bryden Wood, and cladding and curtain walling outfit Commercial Systems International.

The three-storey five-bedroom home cost 拢269,000 to design and build, but Bryden Wood associate Paul O鈥橬eill says the same principles could be used to manufacture smaller homes for much less. 鈥淲ith an order of 10-20 homes we could build two- to three-bedroom homes for 拢60,000 or thereabouts,鈥� says O鈥橬eill.

Bryden Wood was selected by the client after another architect鈥檚 design was rejected for being too expensive. Bryden Wood鈥檚 first design for the client using traditional building methods also proved too costly, so the practice turned to ODP and off-site manufacture. Amazingly, Bryden Wood discovered that by building the home in its factory it could cut total costs by 拢70,000 and meet the client鈥檚 budget.

After Bryden Wood had convinced the client of the merits of off-site manufacture, OBP fabricated six insulated steel-framed units and installed services, glazing and doors in the factory. The first two volumetric units, which were finished with brick slips, were then craned onto a concrete slab foundation and fixed in position. The roofs of these units formed the floors for the next two units, which were lifted into position. The final two units, which had an insulated blue render finish, were then craned to form the third storey. Each unit measured 2.8 脳 4 脳 10 m.

Work on site was minimal, with two units being installed every other day. The wooden flooring was installed in situ and the walls received one last coat of paint after the units had been bolted together. Money was also saved on scaffolding: only a small tower scaffold was required to apply the aluminium flashing details that covered the joints between the units.

O鈥橬eill said that the flashing deliberately reinforced the unitised appearance of the building, as did the stack-bonded brickwork. 鈥淭he bricks carry no structural strength, and we were happy to show off the construction methods, as was the client.鈥�

O鈥橬eill and partners Mark Bryden and Martin Wood are now ready to present their building system to the ODPM and put in their bid to provide affordable homes for the Thames Gateway and other growth areas.

Bryden Wood has a trump card that O鈥橬eill believes will give the company an advantage over its rivals. 鈥淲e have a lot of experience in logistics,鈥� says O鈥橬eill. 鈥淲e know the parameters and know what the highway restrictions are when transporting prefabricated homes around the country.鈥� It鈥檚 just possible a 拢60,000 house could be winging its way down the motorway, courtesy of Bryden Wood, some time in the not-too-distant future.