Goldsmith Street

High density, green social housing in Norwich City Centre.

For the Goldsmith Street international competition for 100 socially rented homes for Norwich City Council, Riches Hawley Mikhail applied passive solar principles at a higher density than Clay Field. We faced 14m wide streets east/west and modelled roofscapes to the winter sun angle. We created a high-density scheme with family sized houses and flats. Norwich City Council challenged us to target full Passivhaus Certification; being a solar design, we achieved this with only minor changes. People sometimes think Passivhaus is expensive and limiting on design. Our layout of terraces with their excellent ‘form factor’ and southerly orientation, enabled us to deliver the scheme affordably, (£1825/m2 GIA) create attractive pedestrian friendly streets and provide generous windows throughout. Every home has car-free access to play.

“This flat has been life changing for our finances. We’ve actually saved for things and paid back debts.”

Peter Osborne, Goldsmith Street Resident

The Guardian (December 2022)

“This flat has been life changing for our finances. We’ve actually saved for things and paid back debts.”

Peter Osborne, Goldsmith Street Resident

The Guardian (December 2022)

Project:

Goldsmith Street

Client:

Norwich City Council

Tenure:

105 homes for social rent

Density:

83 dwellings/ha

Images:

Tim Crocker

Awards:

RIBA Stirling Prize 2019 |RIBA East Regional Award 2019 |RIBA East Sustainability Award |RIBA Neave Brown Award |Housing Design Award 2019 (Overall Award) |Housing Design Award 2019 (Good Neighbour) |AJ Award 2019

Team:

Cathy Hawley, BBUK, Greengauge Building Energy Consultants, Warm, Rossi Long

Project:

Goldsmith Street

Client:

Norwich City Council

Tenure:

105 homes for social rent

Density:

83 dwellings/ha

Images:

Tim Crocker

Awards:

RIBA Stirling Prize 2019 |RIBA East Regional Award 2019 |RIBA East Sustainability Award |RIBA Neave Brown Award |Housing Design Award 2019 (Overall Award) |Housing Design Award 2019 (Good Neighbour) |AJ Award 2019

Team:

Cathy Hawley, BBUK, Greengauge Building Energy Consultants, Warm, Rossi Long