Completed in autumn 2021, this development was designed for a private client to maximise a gap site in Oxford’s Cowley Road area. The site was originally the premises of the owner’s small business, an incongruous commercial unit on a residential street.
The design works hard to provide generous accommodation on a restricted site. Thinking Buildings were able to provide a design that incorporated two 1-bed houses, and one 3-bed house, all meeting the required Oxford City Council standards for minimum room and amenity sizes.
The defining feature of the street façade are the zinc-clad balconies. Echoing the bay windows of their Victorian neighbours, they provide a sharp contemporary finish to the buildings, as well as valuable amenity space to the residents.
With a small site the material palette was limited to provide a cool, minimalist impression. This prevents the street scene from feeling too crowded, despite the frontage being almost wholly infilled
This project received a commendation certificate from the Oxford Preservation Trust Awards 2022 in the Small Projects category, for the contribution to Oxford’s urban realm.
