Social housing projects can be really innovative

Across Europe throughout the years there have been several notable examples of social housing. The architecture of these buildings can quickly gain iconic status and inspire other architects with their creations. Here are some of the most impressive projects that are worth looking at. As one of the leading names for residential architecture London has, we are proud to share our thoughts about them. Goldsmith Street - Norwich, UKThis project stands out because all of the 105 homes meet Passivhaus sustainability standards. The urban setting was very challenging due to the fact that it is dominated by blocks of flats. The aim with this development was to create traditional streets and reinforce the landscaping to make it a great place to live.Tour Bois le Pretre - Paris, FranceThis renovation of a 1961 tower block on the northern outskirts of the city completely revolutionised the building. A prefabricated module was installed, helping to expand the internal space of homes, adding balconies, and increasing the levels of lighting. The work was done without needing to move any of the residents, making it a very well thought-out project.Carre Lumiere - Bordeaux, FranceThe 72 unit development stands out because the apartments have a flexible external space that can be adapted to suit different requirements. This multi-use winter garden features screens and shutters that can be adjusted to control the climate all year round, making the space pleasant and welcoming.Paspoel Anders - Tongeren, BelgiumThis project is noteworthy for the use of "block form". With this style it was possible to design a variety of different communal spaces on the site, including a civic centre and gardens. The aim of the design was to encourage movement on the site. It was achieved effectively and 192 apartments were provided too.Knikflats - Amsterdam, The NetherlandsThe post-war estate is made up of 15 residential blocks. The regeneration dealt with 4 of them. One aspect of the project was a redevelopment of the entrances to overcome accessibility problems. Originally 176 home shared a single entrance and two lifts. This caused a multitude of issues. The work broke down the building into three segments, giving each its own access point. All of the alterations were done to provide long term benefits.The projects above are all good examples of what can be done with social housing. At Coffey Architects we can take inspiration from all of them and apply it to our own projects. That way we can improve on the residential architecture London is home to.