Location Lake District National Park

Type Flexible sustainable housing concept for younger generations

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The Fold is a flexible housing concept designed to attract a younger generation to make the Lake District their home. Higher house prices, and limited employment opportunities, can lead to low proportions of young residents living in rural locations. The Fold addresses these issues by providing a house typology which can adapt to single occupants, couples, and young families, with home working spaces on the ground floor, allowing for changing lifestyles. A creative hub offers flexible work and exhibition/meeting space for creative companies and start-ups. The transport hub offers E-bikes and E-cars for hire, creating a sharing economy. The buildings are designed to a passivhaus standard, orientated to maximise solar gain. Envisaged as a cooperative, this development also challenges the need to 'own' property, with residents instead investing in tradeable shares. 

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Sustainability Strategy

PLACE +++ 

Built using local timber. Green streets through the development prioritise pedestrian circulation and bring the surrounding landscape into the heart of the site

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HEALTH +++ 

Built to passivhaus standards, with a highly insulated building fabric and high performance windows/doors, the buildings would be quiet and comfortable with excellent air quality. 

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ENERGY +++

A highly insulated building shell, and high performance windows/doors, reduce energy demand. Solar Photovoltaic panels provide energy for the buildings, alongside a dedicated energy centre where surplus energy can be stored. 

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WATER +++

Rainwater is collected from the roofscape and treated on site. Wetlands in the green spaces absorb stormwater. All grey and black water is treated on site creating a closed loop system, with no 'waste water'. 

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MATERIALS +++

Timber passivhaus system, clad in dark and light stained local timber. Colourful composite panels bring a splash of colour to the residences, creating identity for each home. Dry stone walls create pathways and demarcate neighbourhoods. 

 

EQUITY +++

Co-housing development, using local materials 

 

DESIGN +++

Creative passivhaus scheme, which celebrates the locality with high specification timber buildings, colourful design and green pathways. 

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