Posted 08.10.19
RIBA: Further reading
A Norwich City eco-friendly council estate has scooped this year's prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture.
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) makes the award annually to the UK's best new building.
The estate, called Goldsmith Street, is made up of almost 100 highly energy-efficient homes that meet rigorous Passivhaus standards - remarkable for a dense, mass housing development.
It is a passive solar scheme, designed to minimise fuel bills for residents - annual energy costs are estimated to be 70% cheaper than for the average household.
Rows of two-storey houses are bookended by three-storey flats, each with their own front door. Generous lobby space for prams and bikes, and a private balcony.
The back gardens of the central terraces share a secure alleyway for children to play together. Parking has been pushed to Goldsmith Street's outer edges, making sure that people and not cars own the streets.
The estate beat the likes of London Bridge Station and the Nevill Holt Opera to win the prize.
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