Donnybrook

Oliver Pullan AR7102 Thesis Quarter

K1537161 Tectonic Essay Peter Barber

Architects

1).
Contents Page

Page Title
4 - 5 General information & Introduction

6 - 7 Structure

8 - 9 The use of white render

10 - 11 Interior lighting levels

12 - 13 Layout and overlooking issues

14 - Conclusion

15 - Final Drawing

16 - Bibliography

17 - Images

2). Elevated view looking over the Donnybrook Quarter site, showing it in context (next page)
3
General Information -
Architect - Peter Barber Architects
Client - Circle 33 housing group, old Ford housing association
Contractor - Wilmots Dixon Housing
Budget - £5 - 10 million
Project Cost - £4.5 million
Area - 2618 sqm
Cost per unit (at time of opening) - £175 000 for one bedroom flat
- £200 000 for a 2 bedroom flat
- £325 000 for a 3 bedroom flat

First and second floor two bedroom maisonette - 65 sqm

Ground Floor 2 bedroom flat - 59 sqm with a 26 sqm external courtyard garden space.

Introduction -
In 2001, the circle 33 housing association ran a competition called ‘accommodating change, innovation in housing’ where over 150 entrants were asked to innovatively
address the social and political changes that have developed in London during the late 20th century and through the turn of the Millennium. The site is located at Hackney
in East London, a socially deprived area that had experienced a good deal of investment around the time of the competition that would be further boosted by the winning
bid to host the 2012 Olympic games in the area in 2005, with the chosen site for the Olympic park located over adjacent A202.1

The competition was for 35 flats, maisonettes and houses2 and was won by Peter Barber architects in 2003, with a proposal that rejected the high rise social housing
typology that dominated post War social housing in the Capital and returned to a low rise, high density approach that related to the typos of the Victorian terraced housing
to the South of the site whilst developing a unique housing typology that accommodated to the needs and desires of 21st century City dwellers.3

The project was critically praised upon its completion in 2006, with comments in the printed press such as Ellis Woodman who accredited Donnybrook to having
“redrawn the template for urban terraced housing”.4 It has since gone on to win the a housing design award and the Royal Academy of Architecture prize.5 The success of
Donnybrook Quarter can be attributed to the approach by Barber to achieve a level of high density of 111 dwellings per hectare6 whilst creating comfortable internal and
external living conditions through using design techniques and materials that are commonplace to the vernacular of the British construction industry. This essay will explore
how these have been utilised to culminate in a pleasant comfort conditions for its residents.

Structure -
1 Peter Barber, The Donnybrook Is The Design Report For The Donnybrook Site In Bow For Circle 33, 1st edn (London: Peter Barber Architects, 2003), pp. 4-5 <https://development.towerhamlets.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&key
Val=DCAPR_29813> [accessed 1 December 2016].
2 Ellis Woodman, “Streets Ahead”, Building Design, Febuary 24, 2006.00073423 (2006), p.13 4
3 Ibid
4 Woodman, “Streets Ahead”, Building Design, p.13
5 Barber, The Donnybrook Design Report For Circle 33, p. 4
6 Woodman, “Streets Ahead”, Building Design, p.13
3). Donnybrook Quarter Site Plan

Scale - 1 -2500 @ A4

4).. Summer Solstice sun angle - 21/06

5). March sun angle - 21/03

6). Winter Sostice sun angle - 21/12

N
N
5

0M
1m
The material palette at Donnybrook was chosen primarily for its durability and ease of use.7 The primary structure is two 100mm block work skins with an insulated 100mm
cavity. 8This is a system that is familiar with both the culture and time of the construction industry in the United Kingdom which has enabled for an increased speed of
construction. The secondary structure of the floors and the roof are compiled of a timber joist and noggin system that allow for the mechanical services to run through, 9 this
enables for services to be easily maintained and adapted without disrupting the lives of the residents. Allowing for the individual housing units to remain culturally relevant
as the living demands of the occupants change over time.

6
7 Barber, The Donnybrook Design Report For Circle 33, p. 4
8 Infomation informed by email sent to Oliver Pullan from Michael Di Palma of CTP consulting engineers that included a package of structural drawings of Donnybrook Quarter, recieved 29/11/2016
9 Ibid
7). Roof, Wall and Floor Detail 8). Floor Detail and Wall Build up
Scale 1-20 @ A4 Parapet Cap Scale 1 - 20 @ A4

Lead Flashing

3 Layers of Bitumen Felt

Note -
Vapour Control Layer
Roof at angle to
transport water to 100mm Insulation
drainage system Structural Deck
Masonry Hanger Internal Finishes

Plasterboard

100mm Concrete Padstone

406 X 178 Steel Beam

Cement Based Levelling Coat

Reinforcement Mesh
White Acrylic Based Render Finish
100mm Concrete Blockwork Skin
Wall Tie
100mm Cavity Filled With Insulation

100mm Thermalite Blockwork Skin

Led Flashing Weephole

Weephole Damp Proof Course

22mm Chipboard Walking Surface Damp Proof Membrane

External Ground Level

219mm Deep Joist System at 600mm Centres

47mm Timber Length

15mm Plasterboard 7
White Render -
The facade of the housing units has been finished with a white acrylic render,10 applied down to the damp proof course. Although this is a finish that is familiar and
understood in the British construction industry, the choice was deliberate with the intention to reflect diffused sunlight from the walls down into tight corners to stimulate
plant growth and prevent the build up of moss in the winter months. 11 Due to a zero parking scheme for the proposal, where residents were encouraged to use public the
transport links in the sites context such as the London underground and bus routes a high level of external amenity space could be achieved in a tightly packed site.12 The
each maisonette unit contains 26sqm of external terraces on the upper levels and four metre wide gardens on the ground floor.13 With sets of three tower blocks to the West
and the North East of the site, 14 it was important to investigate how natural lighting would effect these communal spaces to allow for the outdoor activities to become a
pleasant and attractive proposition for the community to gather and socialise.

Barber produced a series of external daylighting assessments to prove that the natural lighting for the courtyard areas complied with the recomendation that no less than
25% and no more than 40% of any garden or amenity area should be prevented from buildings receiving sun light on March 21st, in the planning process. 15 The results
of these tests were conclusive that justified the choice of white render as a material. With 80% of the area of each ground floor and 60% of each first floor courtyard
enjoying access to sunlight on this date. 16This therefore has created a comfortable experience for the inhabitant to enjoy their amenity space and help to actively stimulate
the schemes desire for a socialisation amongst its occupants and create a gregarious community atmosphere.

10 Barber, The Donnybrook Design Report For Circle 33, p. 15

11 Peter Barber, Donnybrook Quarter, Daylighting Assessment, 1st edn (London: Peter Barber Architects, 2003), pp. 1 -7 <https://development.towerhamlets.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=DCAPR_29813>
[accessed 1 December 2016]. P.4
12 Barber, The Donnybrook Design Report For Circle 33, p. 14 8
13 Barber, The Donnybrook Design Report For Circle 33, p. 11
14 Barber, Donnybrook Quarter, Daylighting Assessment, p. 4
15 Ibid
16 Ibid
9). Indicative plan showing the units and the width of 10).Indicative one point perspective view from the ground floor courtyard. 11). Sketch of render carried down to ground level
street, terraces and courtards at Donnybrook Quarter.

9
12).Eastern Elevation
Scale 1- 300 @ A4
Interior Lighting levels -
As a social housing project, it was critical to achieve successful internal comfort conditions by placing glazing in areas that would result in well naturally lit living spaces
throughout the day and prevent the need for an reliance on mechanical lighting. This is especially key in the main social living areas that desire access to a good amount
of natural daylight sustained throughout the day. Barber arranged the units so that the living room spaces faced to the south, and are positioned off the external terraces,
partitioned by a glazed sliding screen that invited natural daylight into the key social areas of the living room and kitchen,17 in the hope of achieving a daylight factor over
5% in habitable rooms to prevent the need for artificial means of lighting. 18

Barber administered a daylight assessment focused on the first floor maisonettes to show the indicative internal lighting conditions of the key spaces at the planning stage.
The outcome of the study showed that Barber achieved a daylight factor of 9% in the living and kitchen area measured at the wall parallel to the glazed screen at March
21st. This therefore created of comfortable internal living conditions in a space that will be used throughout the day, whilst also reducing a reliance on mechanical servicing
to produce the desired lighting condition, resulting in cost and energy saving benefits to residents. 19

10
17 Barber, The Donnybrook Design Report For Circle 33, pp. 9-10
18 Huw Heywood, 101 Rules Of Thumb For Low Energy Architecture, 1st edn (London: Riba Pub., 2012).
19 Barber, Donnybrook Quarter, Daylighting Assessment, p. 7
 Angle of direct sunlight on March 21st
at 40 °

13). One point perspective view of the

first floor courtyard.

Diffused sunlight hitting off white

acryllic render

Terrace

Bedroom
Street

Garden

Street

11
14). Sectional Axonometric View
Scale 1- 100 @ A4
Layout and overlooking issues -
By producing a high density level of 308 habitable rooms per hectare in a tight urban site, 20 that provided a high amount of external amenity space. Barber had to consider
and overcome planning regulation issues at the time. Most importantly, that dwellings with facing windows should not be closer than 22 meters to protect the occupants
from overlooking issues.21 In order to achieve this Barber developed the form of his housing unit by rotating the first and second floor layout by 90 degrees so that main
windows and communal living spaces looked out either over the street or towards the external courtyards and terraces to enjoy a good amount of natural sunlight through
the day, these are South facing at the first and second floor levels or East and West facing at the ground floor.22

This has produced a layout where adjacent housing units are 8 meters apart which is also accredited to Barber eliminating significant windows at the rear elevation and
building a party wall at the ground level that prevented overlooking issues and achieving this unique level of high density, whilst also providing space for communal streets
and external private courtyards. 23
20 Barber, The Donnybrook Design Report For Circle 33, p. 11
21 University of East London, Peter Barber, 2015 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH6B1I0N-28&t=2372s> [accessed 1 December 2016]
22 Barber, The Donnybrook Design Report For Circle 33, p. 9
23 University of East London, Barber, 2015

12

15). Photograph from first floor terrace of typical three storey maisonette overlooking ground floor courtyards (next page)
13
Conclusion -
It is clear that despite being presented with a tight urban site and tasked with delivering a high level of density. Peter Barber has managed to achieve a low rise innovate
social housing typology that offers comfortable living conditions for its occupants, which has contributed greatly to the project in Hackney to be deemed a success and a
model for 21st century social housing. This has been achieved, not through seeking out cutting edge new technologies or finding new ideas but by simply working with
the culture of the British construction industry and taking inspiration from the surrounding housing typologies, translating them to suit the situation and challenges at the Don-
nybrook site. Barber has delivered a project that has created a high number of density without sacrificing the comfort condition or experience of its residents prioritising
the inhabitant through the use of materials and design techniques that are embedded into the history of social housing and yet manipulating them to create a heightened
condition and atmosphere for the City dweller.

14
 Angle of direct sunlight on
March 21st at 40 °

Two skins of 100mm

Blockwork with insulated Timber joist and noggin
cavity floors for the
accomodation of services

Bedroom Hall Bedroom Bedroom Hall Bedroom

Diffused sunlight hitting

off white acryllic render

Living Room & Kitchen Living Room & Kitchen

Living Room Living Room

Garden Garden Street
Street

8 Meters

15
16). Final drawing, sectional one point perspective taken through the typical housing units, showing the structural build up and how the white
acryllic render uses natural daylight to create well lit internal and external areas in a tight urban site of high density.
Bibliography -
Barber, Peter, Research Symposium 2007: Reflections On Practice: Capturing Innovation And Creativity, 14: Low Rise, High Density Urbanism At Donnybrook Quarter, 1st edn
1.)
(London: RIBA Publishing, 2007), pp. 1 - 8 <https://www.architecture.com/files/ribaprofessionalservices/researchanddevelopment/peterbarber.pdf> [accessed 9 December
2016]

2). Email sent to Oliver Pullan from Michael Di Palma of CTP consulting engineers that included a package of structural drawings of Donnybrook Quarter, recieved 29/11/2016

3). Email sent to Oliver Pullan from Jonah Luswata of Peter Barber Architects that included an information pack of Planning Drawings and press releases regarding Donnybrook Quarter,
Recieved 29/11/2016.

4). Frampton, Kenneth and John Cava, Studies In Tectonic Culture, 1st edn (Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press, 1995)

5). Fraser, Murray, “Beyond Koolhaas”, in Critical Architecture, 1st edn (London / New York: Routledge, 2016), pp. 334-8

Heywood, Huw, 101 Rules Of Thumb For Low Energy Architecture, 1st edn (London: Riba Pub., 2012)
6).

7). Pelsmakers, Sofie, The Environmental Design Pocketbook, 1st edn (London: Riba Pub., 2011)

8). Planning Application by Peter Barber Architects made to Tower Hamlets borough council, Reference number PA_03_00468

9). RIBA Architecture, Flexible Living And The London Terraced House: Neave Brown In Conversation With Peter Barber RIBA Architecture, 2016
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX-uyfC2N0s> [accessed 1 December 2016]

10). “RIBA AWARDS / LONDON”, The Architects Journal, 22. 06. 06 (2016), 31

11). Spring, Martin, “Costa Del Cockney”, Building, 2006 (2006) <http://www.building.co.uk/costa-del-cockney/3063150.article> [accessed 1 December 2016]

12). University of East London, Peter Barber, 2015 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH6B1I0N-28&t=2372s> [accessed 1 December 2016]

13). Watts, Andrew, Modern Construction Handbook, 3rd edn (Switzerland: Birkhäuser, 2013), pp. 170 -175

14). Woodman, Ellis, “Streets Ahead”, Building Design, Febuary 24, 2006 (2006), 13 - 15

15). Woodman, Ellis, “WORKS: PETER BARBER/JESTICO & WHILES - Through The Gateway”, Building Design, March 16, 2007 (2007), 11

16
Images -

Figure number - Location -

1).
Authors Own 14).
Authors Own

http://acdn.architizer.com/thumbnails-PRODUCTION
2). /e9/fa/e9fa84a159e8708e576ba5409c5626ab.jpg 15). http://img.archilovers.com/projects
/98dce151e4614bea88dace724859836e.jpg
donny_site. Sent to Oliver Pullan as part of an infomation
3). pack by Jonah Luswata of Peter Barber Architects
16). Authors Own
4). Ecotect Analysis 2011

5). Ecotect Analysis 2011

6). Ecotect Analysis 2011

Authors Own
7).

Authors Own
8).
Authors Own
9).

Authors Own
10).
Authors Own
11).
DB_Elevation facing east Layout2. Sent to Oliver Pullan
12). as part of an infomation pack by Jonah Luswata of
Peter Barber Architects by Email, Recieved 29/11/2016

Authors Own
13). 17