Latest stage of Port Loop masterplan completes
Glenn Howells Architects has completed a development of three- and four-bedroom mews houses, part of its Port Loop masterplan in Birmingham.
Delivered for Urban Splash in partnership with Places for People and Canals and River Trust (CRT), the site is located 15 minutes walk from the city centre and circled by a kilometre of historic canal.
Inspired by the community neighbourhoods in Denmark, the project team shared a vision to surround the homes with green spaces. This resulted in the 37 mews houses being built around a landscaped communal garden designed by Grant Associates and the Port Loop park that residents can access through their back doors.
Glenn Howells, founder and partner of Glenn Howells Architects, said: “There’s no site quite like this in the city. Port Loop has an amazing ambition which we are delighted to be part of. An island neighbourhood with acres of green space and an almost suburban feel – yet closely wedded to the city centre.
”The developers have embraced the idea of retaining and restoring some of the original industrial buildings, repurposing them as community spaces. Alongside that, of course, there’s the juxtaposition of new architecture, from the existing modular homes on site from ShedKM through to the homes we’ve designed. The terraced house is our inspiration and it’s a typology which has long captivated our attentions thanks to its flexibility and clarity of design.”
Adam Willetts is project director on behalf of the Urban Splash and Places for People joint venture and said: “Brick House is a fantastic addition to Port Loop, diversifying the housing offer here and giving local people another fantastic place to live. We look forward to expanding our fast-growing community as residents move in, bringing this new neighbourhood to life.”
The developers have brought forward a number of initiatives marking the beginning of an ambitious long-term neighbourhood platform to be designed, grown and co-owned by local communities. This includes the Floating Front Room, an outdoor coffee shop on the canal, and YARD, Birmingham’s first Art House offering resident artist spaces as well as ground floor space for the community, with a regular timetable of COVID-safe events such as yoga classes, artist workshops, roundtable discussions, cook outs, live music and poetry nights.
GHA worked alongside Shedkm and Grant Associates to develop detailed proposals for Phase 1 of the 3.15 hectare site, with GHA delivering 50% of the homes provided.
GHA is also the masterplanner for the wider site.
