In the past year DHV Architects have designed several infill housing projects. “Infill housing” is defined as "new houses constructed on vacant, underused lots interspersed among older, existing properties in established urban neighbourhoods".Infill housing differs from green field or estate housing; infill houses have to fit in an established context, rather than setting their own. Infill houses are designed with stronger constraints than say a medium scale development on the edge of town.
Infill houses need to respect the existing building lines, heights and broad proportions of their surroundings, whilst avoid overlooking and overshadowing other properties. As far as possible they should make the most of orientation and views, without conflicting with the primary constraints.
Planning officers often favour the status quo, no matter how uninspiring or trite it might be. Architects might be tempted to more or less replicate what is already there in order to minimise objections and help secure planning consent.
We believe that innovative design can coexist with pre-existing buildings: we strive to capture the essence of the site, to understand the logic behind the existing buildings and their appearance, and provide a contemporary response that draws from, but is not mimicking, the context. For example, Victorian terraced houses have vertical proportions and asymmetrical fenestration; when designing an additional house in a row of terraces we would follow this principle, rather than vaguely replicating the appearance of the existing houses.
Our ideal for every project is to achieve a timeless quality – new buildings of their time, that make a positive contribution to the urban fabric.
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