Differential Dwellings
Kennington Park Road, Urban Living, London.
Interpreting The London Vernacular • The Power of Positive Planning
Despite the sensitive location and tight brownfield site this project received planning permission through delegated powers. Located on the outskirts of Kennington Park conservation area the design emulates the roof forms of the adjacent period buildings in a contemporary interpretation of the local vernacular architecture.
The carving of the main pitched blocks to the front and rear of the site produces a rich right of light respecting rhythmic vertical façade reminiscent of London’s terraced housing. Dark high-pressure timber laminate cladding suggests quality and substantiality.
Boutique Hotel, Shoreditch, London.
A 250 bedroom hotel with conference facilities and restaurant in the heart of Shoreditch. The accommodations sit within a conservation area. The articulation of neighbouring historical and modern buildings were analysed in terms of material, scale, and urban grain.
This process developed into a DNA ‘code’ design strategy through deconstructing the research and reinterpreting it into the façade treatment. Massing was informed by the adjacent roof structures, complex Rights of Light issues, and historical deeds and convenants.
Design Considerations
Create an iconic, landmark design to increase value to potential operators and customers, and gain planning permission.
High-quality rooms with unique aspect and views to the street and City of London beyond.
Avoid repetition through facade patterning informed by surrounding conservation context.
Reduction of large scale building mass by facade and form articulation to an appropriate scale at pedestrian level.
Reduce the impact of the facade at higher levels and engage with streetscape and the public realm.
Develop standard kit of parts facade construction to allow high-quality architecture and design.
Create diversity from standard building components.
Yotel Urban Hotel Concept Development for Yo!
‘Taking work out of the workplace is a redefinition of the relationships between work and home.’ Richard Conner
Simon Woodroffe of Yo! Sushi approached Piercy Conner with his concept for small express hotel rooms with a programme similar to checking into a first class seat on a scheduled aeroplane flight.
Continuing research and development of city living and working reveals that the Yotel! concept is a simple extension of the existing nomadic working patterns of many businesses and their teams. These patterns are driven by the preference for face-to-face interaction regardless of the availability of online communication technology.
The Yotel! sleeping pods are intended to provide advanced communication facilities and a crash-pad for the weary travelling business executive. Piercy Conner’s initial commission focus was on the construction of the Yotel sleeping pods and implications on building typology, use-class, structure, and facade.
Microflat Affordable Key Worker City-Living.
‘Research by the Social and Economic Research Council suggests that 60,000 key workers will leave the capital over the next 10 years – but all worker’s housing needs must be addressed, not just the needs of those in the essential or key services. It is forecast that 80% of the increase in households by 2016 will be in single-person households and that, by 2011, 40% of London’s households will comprise only one person.’
Capital Gains • Making high density housing work in London, London Housing Federation
High Density Urban Living
Microflats are small efficiently designed, environmentally friendly, high-quality, compact dwellings that use boat design and new technology to provide intelligent living space. Microflat Living is a continuation of ideas by Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa in the late 1960’s.
Kurokawa’s Nakagin Capsule Tower was responding to intense pressure on available land in Tokyo by providing compact beautifully designed living pods for young people and a crash pad for weary business executive commuters. The success of London as the capital of Europe and number one destination for Britain’s young workers has put land in the capital city under similar pressure.
Futopia 2096 Future of Home 20th Anniversary.
Futopia 2096 was Richard Conner’s university thesis project.
It was presented 20 years ago at the end of my 4th year at architecture school, the first year of my post-graduate diploma in architecture at The Bartlett, University College London.
The unit project brief was to explore the concept of ‘HOME’.
I decided to look to the future and envision how technology might marry with a more traditional model of luxury villa or mansion-style suburban home-ownership complete with separation, security and privacy while still establishing and maintaining a level of meaningful connection with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues.
Students would ordinarily display drawings and models (and sometimes sing Michael Kohn) for their final presentation. Having taken out a relatively huge student loan to buy an Apple Power Macintosh 8500 (the first Mac with built-in video capture and export capabilities) I created a completely computer-generated animated film.
I did not produce any drawings or physical models which were the norm to communicate architecture at that time. Submitting an architectural thesis project in this way was certainly a first in the country and dare I say it, probably the world.