Finalists in government's Home of 2030 contest revealed
UK housing minister Christopher Pincher has named the six finalists in the government's contest to design new 'homes fit for the future'.
The finalists include emerging practice Outpost Architects, founded in 2016 by Robin Sjoholm and Thomas Housden; Openstudio Architects, which was set up by Jennifer Beningfield in 2006; and a collaboration between Igloo Regeneration with Useful Projects, Expedition Engineers and Newcastle-based Mawson Kerr Architects.
Bids by HLM Architects with the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre and Green Build; Studio OPEN; and changebuilding with Perpendicular Architecture, Humblebee, ECOSystems Technologies and Arup complete the shortlist.
The competition – organised by the RIBA with support from the Building Research Establishment, MOBIE and the Design Council – sought proposals for high-quality, low-carbon and age-friendly homes which could be rolled out to boost quality of life for the country's growing elderly population.
It set out to recognise the 'highest standards of age-adaptable design' and followed the government's recent consultation on a Future Homes Standard, which would require all new homes built from 2025 to have 80% less carbon emissions.
The six shortlisted teams will each receive £40,000 to draw up detailed, site-specific plans for 100 homes in a growth area outside London. Three winners will be invited to work with Homes England development partners to explore the possibility of developing bids for a series of government-owned plots.
Pincher said: "This competition demonstrates the best of British design being brought to bear on a key issue for today, and future generations: delivering homes that are good for the planet and that promote healthy, independent living for older generations.
"The winner of this competition will set the standard for homes of the future and all six finalists have already made an exciting contribution to the designs we will need in the UK and around the world."
Kwasi Kwarteng, minister for clean growth and energy, said: "Cutting homeowners' heating bills and making builders greener is the next step in our plans to reach net zero emissions by 2050, and pioneering low-carbon initiatives like these will futureproof our housing stock.
"Alongside our nationwide £320 million heat network investment and our upcoming £2 billion Green Homes Grant scheme, these projects will pave the way for the UK's green homes revolution."
The Home of 2030 contest was launched in March and the shortlist announcement comes just a week after the government outlined its vision for a reformed planning system.
Proposals for the 'Home of 2030' design contest had to appeal to a wide variety of age groups and deliver adaptable solutions suitable for the changing needs of residents as they grow older. Schemes were also required to promote better health and wellbeing while harnessing innovative technology and construction techniques to deliver net-zero carbon emissions.
Anonymous phase one submissions were expected to offer low embodied carbon in their construction and supply chain, harness low-carbon technologies, and aim for minimal energy demand through fabric and system efficiency. Phase two submissions will consider fabric and system efficiency attributes, efficient and responsible sourcing, material efficiency and whole-life carbon reduction, and predict anticipated performance in-use.
The second round will focus on a proposed parcel of up to 100 homes in a growth area outside the capital. Concepts must 'respond to local distinctiveness and provide opportunity for community cohesion' and include a typical street frontage for around 12 homes with detailed configurations for at least two different typologies.
The competition aims to identify concepts which are highly deliverable and scalable so they can be 'rolled-out across the country'. Applications will be judged 60% on response to the brief, 25% on overall quality, and 15% on creativity and innovation.
An overall winner will be announced this autumn. You can view the shortlist here.
Article source: Architects' Journal
Author: Merlin Fulcher