Runner Up 2010

Full submission available to download here...

MATRIPOLIS

The scheme is designed to house 500 people in a compact-sustainable development on a terraced slope, such that every one can step directly from their front door into a rich realm of biodiversity. The scheme is intended to respect all species; living together in an integrated landscape, which encourages nature to thrive, and hopefully encourage species to return the Northeast which are now largely extinct in the area.

The proposal is on the banks of the Tyne on the old Swan Hunter site. The site was once a bustling community built around the shipyards, but now is derelict. The facility hopes to reintroduce a sense of community by integrating living and working, and in doing so promotes compact living. We have reconsidered the terraced housing typology that was ubiquitous in the northeast in the last century; our terraces are stepped up the hill from a public square where community facilities that contribute to a sense of place are located. The second tier houses the work units for light industry, and the support of the community as a whole.

The facility is carbon-negative and uses environmental materials. Energy is generated from hydro-turbines located in the river. The scheme has been designed to avoid the need for heating or cooling. Food for the residents is grown in the allotment gardens as well as the greenhouses. Access through the community is via staircases and wildlife corridors as well as a lightweight/transparent pedestrian/bike ramp connecting all residents to common spaces and services at grade level.