Futurehomes Passivhaus

Futurehomes are a terrace of fifteen ultra-energy efficient townhouses that combine the use of cross laminated timber as a sustainable building material and Passivhaus design in a conservation setting. They are the first terrace of their kind in London’s Zone One.

Passivhaus

While designing the Futurehomes, we sought to challenge the Passivhaus aesthetic. We already had experience of designing Passivhaus buildings. Gerard Maccreanor’s own Rotterdam home, the highly praised zero carbon Hoflaan House and our Rainham scheme, one of the first 100% affordable Passivhaus certified schemes in the UK.

We wanted the townhouses to be sympathetic to the existing Victorian bay fronted townhouses situated directly opposite. Therefore, the Futurehomes employ projecting chamfered bay windows of reconstituted stone on the ground floor and tall shuttered windows in deep brick recesses on the upper levels.

To achieve Passivhaus homes in such a contextual and well-mannered architectural style, is to be highly commended - a zero greenwash appearance. This is successful stripped-back, quiet and appropriate London street architecture, with internal planning which reflects the flexibility and enduring qualities of the period homes they are emulating.
Carl Vann
2017 World Architecture News Awards judge

Climate Positive Development

The terrace of fifteen Futurehomes sit within the Elephant Park masterplan. The masterplan aims to be a climate positive development and is one of 17 founding projects from across the world to be part of the Climate Positive Development Program, set-up by the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.

The program challenges the world’s greenest major urban regeneration projects to become models for large-scale cityscapes of the future. The masterplan was the third of these 17 projects to reach ‘participant’ status, after submitting a comprehensive roadmap demonstrating how the project will be Climate Positive, or net carbon negative, by 2025.

Townhouse plans

Client: LendLease
Project Type: Housing
Location: London Borough of Southwark
Status: Completed 2017
Size: 15 new homes
Photography: Tim Crocker

Awards
Landscape Institute Awards Overall Winner Presidents Award (2018)
Building Award Best Housing Project (2018)
RIBA London Award (2018)
Housing Design Award (2018)
NLA Awards Sustainability Prize Commended (2018)
Housebuilder Awards Best Sustainable Project (2018)
Construction News Awards Sustainable Project of the Year (2018)
Brick Awards Overall Supreme Winner (2017)