‘The Architects Journal Information Libary Petranry 281962458, ss Ad SB (98) Housing Development UDG 728.2 Flat eneral ndon’s ‘scissors’ maisonettes Peridon County Councit’s new ‘scissors’ form of maisonettes was warmly praised for its fresh approach engn of maisonettes and the flexibility it gives to this type of housing by Cleeve Barr when he spoke on Housing 196s al the nwa Last week. This new development is fully described and illustrated below Moomanne. jes “scissors” cross-over maisonettes come in two ver- ‘wees for use in tall blocks (twenty-six storeys) the other oe in six and a half storey blocks. This new development the latest stage in a long search for methods of weltings that will combine the essential objectives of flexibility in site layout, maximum economy of site ‘Nigh densities, maximum flexibility in accommodation ‘end economy in constructional cost, {jum planning system is best described by taking each of, ‘#ssential objectives listed above and explaining how ‘flected the planning. Flexibility in site layout is the lve and this is primarily a matter of flexibility in The greatest obstacle to such flexibility is a type “wiih places living rooms on both sides of a block, W this case all buildings will have to be orientated wemth-south, so that all living rooms face east-west. This 4 erippling restriction, particularly on the irregularly- Wes Which are typical of central areas, Consequently 8 esential requirement for this development that ‘must be on one side of the block only. ‘economy in site use demands minimum frontage per ‘wad this in turn means a deep block in which precious Wwall space is not wasted on access corridors and bath- Whis is a case of technical and social requirements vide by side, because a well detailed internal access j particularly in a tall building, is considerably more yn external access balconies. ‘of flexibility and economy in layout technique, lie sections, on right, of tall block, ef sixcand-a-half-storey blocktherefore, have set the basic requirement for a deep block with a cemiral access corridor and living rooms on one side only. The need for flexibility in accommodation in * bread and-butter” housing work should need no elaboration, If we want simple layouts with the minimum scatter of varied housing types, and are interesied in securing a low cost of production both in the architect's office and on the site, it is obviously an advantage if the full range of dwelling types and sizes can be contained within a single building system. (This objec- tive becomes doubly important in the context of industrialised building methods. Up to now the “scissors system has been developed for traditional techniqu. next step is clearly to reassess the system in industrial terms.) It was an essential part of the brief that the full range of dwelling sizes from ‘one-room to five-room should be allowed for. Qualitative as well as quantitative variety within the dwellings was also thought to be desirable in a block designed for possible use as the only building type on quite large schemes. Some three-room families, for instance, want a garden, others may be happy with a balcony or a roof terrace; some want a dwelling on the flat, perhaps because of invalids, others like to go upstairs to bed. Economy in constructional cost in deep blocks of this type appeared to centre on avoiding waste of space in the ‘ middle third" of the block, on provid:ng an integral escape system in case of fire, on compact design and full exploitation of services. and on reducing the actual quantity of materials in the building to the absolute minimum, 2. me cincutation syste ‘The fulcrum of the * scissors system is the method of approach to and circulation within the dwellings. This is explained in the diagram below. Circulation diagram showing two interlocking maisonettes, linked by dog-leg stairs to access corridor at one level and bathroom level at alternate level, with escape door 10 corridor above All the living rooms are planned on one side of the block. all the bedrooms on the other. The * middle third’, which pro- vides a substantial * privacy barrier” between the living and sleeping sides of the dwellings, contains on alternate floors the bathrooms and access corridors. This * middle third” is planned at half levels in relation to the outer sections of the building, to which it is linked by the dog-leg stairs. Within every verti- cal bay each access corridor gives onto two maisonettes, one up and one down, ‘The circulation system is best described by comparison with pair of half-opened scissors, the handles representing the bedroom levels, the blades the living levels and the pivot the This model shows a theoretical development of the high block. The block is stepped down bay by bay in iis |. Four-room dwellings at roof level all have large roo} the way across and up to the bedrooms on the other lc of the block. The return flight of the dog-leg on the bess side leads up to the * back" or escape door onto the nes! corridor above Within each bay length therefore the «sl contains two front doors on one side and two “escape v8 facing them. The circulation through the *down* ms We exactly the same, the other way up. Thus the maxim) we of the core of the building also provides an alternative © ss route as a natural part of the internal circulation system » t« dwelling. The sanitary accommodation is strategically pla es at mid-point between living and sleeping levels, an’ jd natural cross-ventilation is secured 3. DETAILED PLANNING OF TALL BLOCK Dwellines Each three-room dwelling has, at access corridor level. sw entrance lobby which contains a coat cupboard. A pram stute is provided for each dwelling across the access corridor {1m the front door: from the lobby a half-light leads int. living rooms. In view of the height of this block there sis. private balconies; instead an exceptionally large dining-hiisbew has been provided in which the dining end can be used. an extension of the living space by means of a large sliding «I Ik is visualised that this end of the dining-kitchen, whic! kept quite free of equipment, can also be used as a homewwt cornet or as a place for small children to play under thew riother’s eve. The working end of the kitchen contains spice for a refrigerator. a washing machine and spin dryer either under the worktop adjoining the sink unit or in the large broom cuphoard, The food store provided in an under-work to unit is ventilated by duct to the open air. A half-fight leads out of the living room to bathroom level where there is also a linen cupboard; a cut-off door is pro vided for privacy. The bathroom contains ample space for 4 stool, dirty clothes basket, etc. A further half-flight leads tw the bedrooms which are conventionally planned. Because. the “scissors* circulation system these are always only halt ight away from the alternative means of escape. ‘The dwellings are centrally heated by warmed air recirculating units in the living rooms and convectors in the bedrooms. {he living room units would be under tenant control and woul! beee ee ee ee: coe above or below the living rooms with the sanitary accommoda- tion between the two The approach to each dwelling is either up or down half a fight from the access corridor level. TE one walks through a typical ‘ up” maisonette in the twentv- six-storey version of the scissors block the process is as fol- lows, From the central access corridor one enters the front lonby from which a half-light of stairs leads straight up into the living area. The return half-flight of the dog-leg takes one up to the half-landing which gives access to the bathrooms on ‘The Architect! Journal Information Library Pebruary 28 1002S 26): UDC 725.2 ee eee ne ee oe cf running the bedroom convectors, designed for backgroun) | heating, would on the other hand be included in the stamting | charges, Water heating is by electric immersion heaters. Circulation spaces etc ‘A good standard of finishes and of 24hr artificial lightine proposed to make the central access corridors, which we planned to have a high standard of 24hr artificial lighting. » pleasant an approach to the individual dwellings as possible HI 1 | 4B addition, measures such as sound absorbent false ceilings “te proposed to reduce noise to a minimum. Yesical access is by means of two twelve-person stretcher eS ‘stopping at every access floor to the twenty-third floor land at the rooftop boiler house. The circulation tower Typical floor plans of three-room maisonettes in tall block, ‘above, at intermediate, bathroom floor level, below, at access corridor level which contains these lifts as well as escape stairs, communal if cabinet rooms, fan rooms, tank rooms and refuse chutes, ‘Hlinked to the main block only by bridges at access corridor |. This degree of separation eliminates the noise nuisance these services and allows the ground floor refuse collec- ‘arrangements to be kept well clear of the main entrance ‘fo the block. The refuse chute discharges ji container at ground level. ‘east of these twenty-six-storey blocks is comparable with high blocks of dwellings in use by the council (oa single bulk ‘ground level. As solid fuel heating represents the most difficult planning condition likely to be encountered, the type plan hhas been designed to provide for this, Central heating could readily be incorporated and would make possible considerable simplification of planning and structure. Penthouses Three-room penthouse flats over four-room maisonettes and two-room penthouse flats over three-room maisonettes are approached up half a flight from the top access corridor. The front door at the top of the flight gives onto a lobby, with direct light and ventilation, which in turn gives onto one or two bedrooms. A half-fight leads from it up to a level containing the remainder of the accommodation. The living rooms and kitchens pverlook a large private roof terrace, an alternative means of escape.tall block and is designed to provide a complete range of ling sizes from one-room to six-room. Three- and four- ‘Wom "scissors" maisonettes are planned at typical levels, two- WM three-room dwellings with substantial roof terraces are ‘at penthouse level (6 storeys height), and at ground wurt” houses are provided on one side of the block, feith garages and/or bed-sitting room flats on the other. ‘Fhe circulation principle of the maisonettes is the same as at of the tall block except that the internal stairs are not (@atinved onward to provide an alternative means of escape. Ble possible to adjust the planning of the bedroom side of the isoneties while retaining the standard bay width to ither all four-toom dwellings or equal numbers of ‘and four-room dwellings without affecting the plan at fc ‘block has a circulation system similar to that of ty | FA Six-storey block ‘Above, typical three- and four-roomed dwellings, plans showing faccess level and intermediate level Below, typical ground-floor showing court houses on living: room side of block with garages on bedroom side. Bedsitting room flais can replace garages if required. Patio houses can range in size from two rooms to five { Alternative version: above, plan to give all fourroom « Iypical access and intermediate levels. Below, th penthouses at top access floor and roof terrace level ‘The ground floor ‘court’ houses have been planned for the “most desirable aspedt" side of the block, with an ye particularly to the needs of Larger families with small children, s0 that four- or five-room units would probably be most used. The kitchens project beyond the face of the block above and these projections are linked by garden walls to form private walled gardens to each house. It wil be noted that, ‘wherever possible, the windows of these dwellings are set back in order to provide a siting out space that cannot be over- Tooked from above. Bed-stting room fats Where the blocks are orientated so that the long facades face east and west, a number of one-room old people's: dwellings are visualised on the east face. Erne | aehe cost of these blocks works out at a level comparable with Diagram of si tienen sestorey block showing circulation systemAND COMPANY LIMITED Uy Seer ke el ee17 MONTPELIER STREET - KNIGHTSBRIDGE - LONDON - SW7 - TELEPHONE KNIGHTSBRID\1 « nD sen (os) vDe ucrmediate level maisonettes, three and four-bedroom wellings alternating = Plans of penthouse porey pont Hock, cheaper than eleven-soey pot blocks labs slightly more expensive than Hubert Bennett, Fria, architect to the Counciloe ce hould be borne in mind when considering these figures. aveunc wepLicaTions fe order to assess the planning implications of these new types “Aumber of layout studies have been carried out in the course “Wl developmem work. This was important not only for guidance wure use of the blocks, but also to assist in establishing targets. A few of these studies are illustrated and make it that a six-storey narrow frontage block containing a proportion of integral garages and a full range of dwell- ‘izes can have a very considerable impact on our ideas high density housing layout. ‘as important as the planning implications in relation to layouts themselves, are the implications of the relation- between these layouts and existing buildings, Since rigid ‘is no longer a principal determining factor, a lay- yy be evolved which can reflect a balanced consideration aspect, existing surroundings and 41 136 persons per acre it is possible 10 provide very large reas of having been exploited in the Reval Victoria Yard layout mn space within the housing area, this potentialits K. J. Campbell, anima, divisional head Jack Whittle, akins, aMTPI, sPDip, deputy divisional head E. E, Hollomby, anuss, assistant senior architect: Design team responsible for the scissors’ development: David Gregory-Jones, ARIBA, AADip, architect in charge Colin Jones, AkIBA, AADip, assistant to architect in charge Jan Hampson, tina, McD, arch The team was joined by the following architects at various stages of the development: David Grove, anima, P. A. Westwood, ARi0) Grahame Anderson, Diparch (aNzi), T. AaDip. ‘The tall block was designed in collaboration with the senior structural engineer, J. H. Humphreys; principal quantity sur- veyor, M. J. Rice. Heating and electrical services, Sir Joseph Rawlinson, cue. Chief model maker, L. F. R. Yeo; photo- graphy, G. N. Finnissy. mareh(Rand), SPDip, Kharegat, Riss, This layout shows the block used at the highest density at present planned for in London. Conventional flats are planned ft corners adjoining lifts and stairs. The internal squares (200ft by 180f0 are a very reasonable size, the worst angle of sunlight obstruction being 16 deg, and garages for 50 per cent of the dwellings are provided without difficulty. Even at this density a quarter of the dwelling have either ground or roof #3 hous wit enone ' Ay a matter of interest, the block was theoreticu! 4 round a space the size of Bedford Square. The di the central open space in the housing area, emerFO CRS OE NORE See Fae Desens. 5S ee ae normal daytime ear population which disfigures It The layout below was developed, with no density tions, to study the possibility of extending the xr houses to form a ground cover of single-storey di from which the six-storey blocks would rise. 1 planned in parallel rows: the ‘living room’ sides other over the court houses with their small plan paved walkways. The ‘bedroom’ sides face each a raised deck covering garages which form putt « pedestrian network containing a playspace. ° carn: served from below, and group of mews flats plus ‘an internal court, Again a very high density is «rl 75 per cent garages and 4S per cent gardens or z i x 3 top hows wih gardens Woot 2 rages 16%)