London architect and timber frame specialist PCKO has won a wood. for good-backed competition to design a family town house of the future using sustainable construction techniques.
PCKO’s imaginative plans for 10 houses and two flats, featuring dramatic “light courts”, impressed the judges of the “eScape” contest, beating off competition from two other shortlisted entries from Cole Thompson Associates and Rider Sale.
Wood. for good managing director Charles Trevor said: “The dramatic differences in architectural style of the three shortlisted entries prove the flexibility of building in timber frame. This competition will demonstrate to all architectural practices that they do not need to compromise on imagination if they work with timber as a structural material.”
PCKO worked with Westbury plc’s Space4 modular timber frame operation to maximise the potential of its design and explored the possibility for creating volumetric units to speed up construction.
David Wilson Homes, which organised the competition in conjunction with wood. for good and Design for Homes, said PCKO’s scheme challenged conventional townhouse thinking and had a real “wow” factor.
The housebuilder will now construct at least 12 homes to the winning design as part of a residential development in the south-east.
More than 40 entries were received for the eScape competition, which challenged designers to come up with innovative solutions while meeting consumer, construction and environmental demands.
