Mount Argus

The intention here is the consolidation of old and new. With the proposed addition of the two floors to the top of the existing Manor Court building there is a danger that the building may loose its visual integrity and have the appearance of a composite, a collection of bits. With our approach it is intended to retain the visual mass as a solid, pure form, now possessing a new, taller proportion.

The necessity to improve the performance of the existing units and the need for a lightweight structure above has the shared solution of an externally insulated skin. This new skin allows us to homogenise the two disparate elements into a cohesive whole.

The existing Manor Villas developments are all distinctly marked by their horizontal datum at each floor. To retain this horizontal expression, as well as accommodating the various ope types in the scheme, a stepping facade has been used which takes the top line of the opes as its transition point. As well as articulating each floor, this creates a logic for the facade which also allows for an easy change of material when we come to the ground. Here a more durable material than the softer rendered insulation can be used where the building begins to interact with life at ground level and needs to be more robust.

Units:
6 Additional Apartments

By:
JFOC Architects

By:
Manor Court, Mount Argus, Harold’s Cross

Status:
Planning