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Medium Density Residential Simple design principles to transform New Zealand housing developments brought to you by Context Architects

Upton Site C, HTA, Project Architect Scott Cracknell

Architects Scott Cracknell and Karen Manson from Context Architects explain the science and art behind good medium and high density residential development, what it means to New Zealand and where it could take us.

Have you ever looked at a development and thought ‘that’s great,’ then driven past another and thought ‘not so good,’ but couldn’t put your finger on why? The answer lies in the planning. There is a science and an art in taking a development from good to great.

At Context Architects we design great places for people to live well. We get excited about well-designed urban communities. We work with developers, councils and communities to establish attractive, functional and sustainable places that people are proud to call home.

We’ve produced this design guide for excellent medium density housing developments. In it, we’ve pulled together best practice ideas and excellent examples from around the world to help developers and housing providers take developments from good to great.

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CONTEXT IS WORKING ON MEDIUM DENSITY PROJECTS ALL AROUND NEW ZEALAND.

We show you how to avoid the common pitfalls and use design and planning principles to improve the quality of your development.

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IF THEY ARE WELL DESIGNED, MEDIUM AND HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENTS CAN BE GREAT PLACES TO LIVE, AS WELL AS BEING PROFITABLE AND ENDURING.

Upton Site-C - HTA

Well-designed communities provide great returns for developers and investors via more marketable developments, and for communities via social cohesion and quality of life. Thoughtfully designed communities become desirable places to live in and near. They make a positive contribution to their neighbourhood and to the developer’s reputation which translates into higher resale values and reduced investor risk.

At the end of this guide, we recommend further sources of information. If you would like to discuss your development, or have us come and present on the good, the bad and the ugly of medium density housing to your team, please contact us.

Associate Directors Scott Cracknell and Karen Manson both worked at architectural practice HTA in London on some of the UK’s most prestigious and lauded housing developments. HTA is a top 40 UK practice, and many of their housing projects have been studied as inspiration for what medium density developments could be like in NZ.

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Upton Site-C - HTA

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DOES NEW ZEALAND NEED MORE HIGH DENSITY HOUSING? In New Zealand’s larger urban centres there is an opportunity to create thoughtfully designed, higher density communities for people to live well. We have an unrivalled opportunity to benefit from the lessons learnt in the rest of the world and create our own solutions for affordable, quality and sustainable medium and high density housing.

A BRIEF HISTORY Historically, higher density housing hasn’t always been done that well here - leaky buildings, lack of privacy, boxy interiors and a lack of outdoor space characterise poor examples that add little to their surroundings or residents’ quality of life. The quarter acre dream mind-set coupled with this bad record means people are wary to make higher densities home.

DEEP IN OUR NATION’S PSYCHE IS THIS IDEA CALLED THE QUARTER ACRE DREAM

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In Christchurch, many homes were destroyed in the earthquakes and safe, affordable and attractive new homes are needed, as is the revitalisation that will come with them.

In Auckland, the population is growing and the availability of affordable housing has not kept pace. The narrow isthmus limits the extent of urban sprawl and one effect of the GFC has been diminished investment in property. As a result, there is a shortage of good quality, affordable homes in Auckland.

Compact cities play an important role in economic growth. More densely populated areas are more productive, tend to be more innovative and attract more people and capital. Higher density communities mean better infrastructure and service provision like transport networks, leisure facilities, education, cafes and shops.

The quarter acre dream is a nationally prized ideal, but anyone wanting to live on large 800sqm plus sections must go further and further out of the centre, away from the increasingly compact city in order to get one. With extra hours commuting and increased congestion that this lifestyle brings, the reality of the ‘dream’ becomes less appealing.

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But this is changing. Affordability, land scarcity, intensification and rising population are driving demand.

In Auckland the unitary plan and urban design panel are raising the design bar, and in Christchurch a design-led response is emerging to the challenge and opportunity of the earthquake, particularly via the Christchurch City Development Unit blueprint.

This guide forms a key part of Context Architect’s contribution to this change. Context is a values driven practice that creates great architecture for communities while delivering good returns for clients and developers.

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IF YOU’VE GOT IT, FLAUNT IT!

It is important to make the most of what your site already has. Evaluate views, contours, sunlight, natural habitats, existing buildings and watercourses, and then design in a way that uses them to your advantage.

Osprey Quays, UK. HTA

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Design your development to use the site’s natural orientation, giving each home direct sunlight in living and outdoor spaces. Considering the existing contours is kinder to the land as well as the construction budget.

WHILE WORKING FOR TOP UK PRACTICE HTA, CONTEXT ARCHITECTS’ KAREN MANSON AND ANTON FENWICK DESIGNED AND DELIEVERD THIS AWARD WINNING EXAMPLE OF HOW DEVELOPMENTS CAN RESPOND TO TOPOGRAPHY FOR A MORE INTERESTING RESULT. IT WON THE SUPREME AWARD AT THE UK HOUSING DESIGN AWARDS 2012.

DENSITY CAN BE DONE WELL AT ALL SCALES

Good design and choosing the right density at the right location is the key to success.

Medium density in NZ equates to around 30 dwellings per hectare – enough for a detached house, front and backyard and off-street parking. This is actually more generous than many sections in New Zealand’s most desirable historic urban neighbourhoods. Designing at density includes stand-alone and semi-detached dwellings, terraced housing and apartments within a building of four storeys or less; on single, combined and large, masterplanned sites.

Aberdeen Square, Accordia, UK. Alison Brooks

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High density needs different considerations. High to super density does mean apartments, and tightly arranged apartments in some cases. It also means that you need good body corporates and on-site concierges in some cases to make it work. Context’s architects have worked on high density developments of 150 dwellings per hectare, through to super density schemes of around 400 dwellings per hectare. In such cases extremely careful thought and planning must go into design.

Every consideration in this document requires further thought as you add more density to a development, and non-architectural social factors must be considered. With good design, density at a variety of scales can be done very well.

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VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE The best developments build in diversity and provide options for the range of stages, ages and incomes that you see in communities that develop more organically. Home workers, stay-at-home parents, retirees and young single professionals all living in one place inject vitality.

Combinations of apartments, semi-detached, terraced and stand alone; studios to four bedroom homes; as well as live/work options all on one site create variety. With people coming and going at varied times you get vibrancy and safety. Mixing up the materiality and colour palettes across typologies also creates interest.

The more choice of housing typologies and tenures, the wider the market appeal. Mixing it up gives a texture and diversity to developments, and individualised housing commands higher premiums.

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CHARACTER

Great developments work with the character and heritage of what already exists. Good development lifts its surrounds and emphasises the positive of what’s already there - even when the positive is not immediately apparent. There are good examples of this at the old Hobsonville airbase in Auckland where heritage homes and airforce buildings are being attractively repurposed.

Context’s designs to resource consent for a development at Panmure, shown below, is set to revitalise an unloved area that’s had little in the way of design consideration. Schemes achieve greater acceptance if they work with their surroundings.

The challenge in Christchurch is to create a new city suitable in character and scale that references the past but is right for the city’s future.

“THE DISTRICT... MUST SERVE MORE THAN ONE PRIMARY FUNCTION; PREFERABLY MORE THAN TWO...”

- JANE JACOBS, THE DEATH AND LIFE OF AMERICAN CITIES. Context Architects

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PUBLIC OUTDOOR SPACE

Great developments provide a mix of clearly defined private and public outdoor spaces.

In this way, obvious thresholds between the public and private realms are created. This encourages residents to take ownership of their own areas and leads to clarity regarding responsibility for maintenance of shared spaces. Having the public spaces overlooked encourages neighbour interaction and passive surveillance for safer communities.

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Oscar Newman wrote about this idea in the 1970s.

He invented the term defensible space in talking about residential environments ‘whose physical characteristics—building layout and site plan—allow inhabitants themselves to become key agents in ensuring their security.’ He believed that an area is safer when people feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for that piece of a community.

A mixture of private and public outdoor space is a key element in transcending the good and getting a development to great.

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‘EYES ON THE STREET’ CAN BE CREATED

BY ORIENTATING BUILDINGS TOWARD PUBLIC CIRCULATION, SHARED AREAS AND ACCESS ROUTES ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. Seaside, Florida

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Upton Site C, UK. HTA

GOOD STREETS, SMART SPACES

The most memorable neighbourhoods are made up of streets and spaces that are clearly defined by the position of the buildings and landscape features, rather than the shape of the road. Strong landscape elements help define and create a sense of place.

Designing houses so that doors and windows overlook the street (rather than being tucked around the side or hidden at the back) with footpaths and cycle ways that pass in front of homes rather than around the rear activate the street frontage, promoting an atmosphere of safety and community. Doors opening onto the street give homes their own entry, making units feel more like individual houses which, in turn adds value.

Consider the elevations of corner houses – they should address both sides to maximise surveillance, bring in natural light and avoid imposing blank walls.

Add to rather than reduce or alter existing connections - connectivity is important for good living.

Can you walk through the development via a variety of routes? Can children or elderly residents get around? How about people pushing prams or those using wheelchairs?

Integrate the development with its surroundings, designing for people, not cars. If you are building roads, make them 30km/h or less and prioritise pedestrians so children can play and spaces can function as social areas. For inspiration look at shared space surfaces and narrow streets in Auckland’s CBD, Waterfront and New Lynn.

Way finding markers such as elements that draw you in and the creation of viewpoints all create a good sense of place and create connections across a development and with its surrounds.

‘SERIAL VISION’ BY GORDON CULLEN, PICTURED, IS AN APPROACH TO DESIGNING AS THOUGH ON A JOURNEY THROUGH THE SITE. GOOD DESIGN NATURALLY GUIDES USERS TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO, EASILY AND WITH INTEREST.

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PERSONAL OUTDOOR SPACE, SEMI-PUBLIC SPACE AND PRIVACY

Personal outdoor space should be as private as possible. For low-rise developments, a good rule of thumb is that it should match the footprint of the unit size. Well-designed front gardens and yards greatly enhance kerb appeal.

Spending money on well screened outdoor space delivers great returns.

Getty images / Fstop

Quality construction materials and techniques minimises noise transfer through walls and the floor for privacy indoors. We advocate exceeding NZ acoustic building standards.

Accordia Apartments, Cambridge, UK

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For developers, an excellent approach is to add value through amenity and dressing up the development - simple building forms with value added such as generous windows, detailed balconies and integrated gardens - creating visual interest in the façade with changes in materials and depths.

TRANSPORT AND PARKING Take into account the availability and location of public transport and walking and cycling options when siting a development. Think about parking and car-pooling options. Car parking is really important when connections with public transport infrastructure are low.

People also like being able to see their car from their home, or to be able to keep it safely in a garage. It is good to provide a range of car and cycle parking options within one development. This reduces the dominance of garage doors, while trees break up the visual dominance of cars and help define the public space.

The very best schemes consider connectivity with existing and future transport infrastructure. It doesn’t have to be complicated – housing estate car sharing schemes are well established all over the UK.

PLANNING DEVELOPMENTS AROUND PUBLIC TRANSPORT HELPS ACTIVELY MANAGE URBAN GROWTH AND ENCOURAGES WALKABLE CITIES.

New road in Brighton by Gehl Architects

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SUSTAINABILITY

At the most basic level, designing sustainably means houses should be well insulated and ventilated, orientated correctly and enjoy efficient heating options. Next up is using sustainable materials, finishes and building practices.

Mixed use, location and density, along with the other concepts outlined in this document all contribute to the larger aspects of an all round liveable and sustainable city.

Being ‘green’ is much more than the adoption of a code or installing a system - it is building in a way that benefits future generations, ensuring the development is economically sustainable and robust enough to withstand inevitable social, economic or climatic changes.

AT CONTEXT OUR APPROACH TO BEING SUSTAINABLE COMES FROM CONSIDERING LONG TERM BENEFITS FOR ALL INVOLVED. Focusing on sustainability will create great appeal among a growing market as well as create good profile for your development. Introducing bold sustainability practices will enable you to lead the pack.

Talk to an architect with good green credentials about Green Star ratings and Passive House standards – look for the NZ Green Building Council logo and solid experience of sustainability schemes.

We recommend a ‘fabric first’ approach to reducing energy consumption. If you get this right, interior heating systems can potentially be eliminated.

Micro energy generation, local rainwater harvesting and reuse, edible planting in communal areas, permeable surfaces and stormwater ponds as natural habitats for plants and wildlife are just a few ideas.

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IT’S ALL RUBBISH

Get the basics right. One of the simplest and most overlooked bits of good design we see is what to do with your bins! Everyone needs somewhere to put them.

Often it’s as much about a management strategy as it is physical infrastructure.

Clever design can make a feature rather than of an eyesore out of refuse areas. Futureproof your development by allowing space for more stringent

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refuse and recycling collection. Work this into the street scene so that it adds something to it.

One way to check whether a development is good is to see if they have considered where to put the bins.

And while we’re at this end of the yard, Kiwis love a workshop or somewhere large enough to store big gear like bikes or kayaks. This can be an important factor. A garden shed or shared utility area is a great asset and so is every bit of internal storage space.

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YOUR DESIGN PARTNER We recommend that you use this guide as a series of design principles that reinforce each other, rather than a menu of options. It’s a plug for good planning and getting the architectural basics right from the start. Placemaking goes beyond the design of a development’s individual components and we see it as a shared responsibility between council, developers, communities, architects, consultants and builders.

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IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS YOUR DEVELOPMENT, OR HAVE US COME AND PRESENT THE CONCEPTS IN THIS DOCUMENT TO YOUR TEAM, PLEASE CONTACT US: Auckland: Scott Cracknell Scott.Cracknell@context.net.nz Level 1, 326 New North Road, Kingsland, Auckland P: 09 358 0140 M: 021 102 22 45

Christchurch: Karen Manson Karen.Manson@context.net.nz 75 Perry Street, Papanui, Christchurch P: 03 550 1550 M: 027 516 0849

For more information: Christchurch Central Development Unit (CCDU) www.ccdu.govt.nz Auckland Urban design Panel www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz - Search: Urban Design Panel Green Building Council (NZGBC) www.nzgbc.org.nz Placemaking New Zealand www.placemaking.org.nz Design Council Building for Life guidelines www.designcouncil.org.uk/knowledge-resources/building-life-12

THIS GUIDE IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE:

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