FREDERICK STREET

Frederick Street sits within a narrow terraced street near the heart of the North Laine district. The area is characterised by two-storey terrace houses arranged along a broadly north–south orientation. This traditional pattern is occasionally interrupted by larger commercial buildings, and the steep local topography allows some homes to incorporate lower-ground floors, increasing the density and efficiency of individual plots.

Our proposal builds on this existing typology and makes full use of the site. We began with a typical two-storey dwelling, repeated it to occupy the plot, then lowered the volume by one storey to introduce a new lower-ground level. By adjusting the boundaries, we were able to bring natural light deep into this floor. Bedrooms open onto their own private courtyards, while communal spaces are top-lit with soft, indirect daylight from skylights. All units are designed to maximise storage and functional living space. Lowering the houses also created the opportunity to introduce two additional flats that sit above the main dwellings.

We then looked to the bay windows found on neighbouring houses and used them as inspiration to shape the façade. By angling the frontage, residents gain oblique views along the street rather than directly into the homes opposite, improving privacy in these single-aspect units. This subtle rippling of the façade adds texture and interest to the streetscape, creating a visual link between the more ornate and the more restrained buildings that surround the site.

Competition Participation

x POW Architects