The Staithes at Tyne Dock

In North East UK, south of the Tyne River, a school property that had been closed for a number of years became the site for much-needed affordable family homes. Working with town planners and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) design review, NORR developed a residential site plan with bespoke housing types that exceeded the expected standards for social housing.

The design team responded to the unique site constraints and considered the views of local existing and potential residents regarding the development’s look and feel. All the homes are easily accessible and the site incorporates Home Zone principles like being pedestrian and cycle friendly, with traffic calming measures throughout. The 31 two and three-bedroom family homes and six two-bedroom terraced bungalows for older persons feature public art at the entrance and unique sculptural house numbering created from the designs of local school children. Sustainability was a key consideration with both passive and active measures that minimize energy consumption and maximize natural daylight, thereby reducing the residents’ running costs. Despite the drive for architectural excellence, this residential development was delivered at the same average square meter build costs as other standardized housing projects.