Housing for the Homeless, Dover

If there’s one thing we’ve learned makes better buildings, it’s empathy. Architecture never happens in isolation—and simply by being interested and engaged, we’ve found it’s possible to open up the conversations that connect a scheme to its clients and community.

We believe that the more constraints there are, the better the architecture. If there aren’t any constraints, we create them. Challenging sites, existing buildings and complex briefs almost always present incredible opportunities for great design.

To limit our environmental impact, we start with what is already there. By manipulating the form and fabric of a building—whether new or existing—we can work with the existing conditions of topography, light and orientation, and harness the natural energy sources offered by air, ground and water.

If a site’s constraints guide the bigger design decisions, then it’s empathy that informs the smaller, social details. These details frame the human narratives that aren’t included in the brief, anticipating specific moments in the users’ lives.

Good architecture is as much about what happens on the building site as it is about what’s on the drawing board. By working alongside contractors as well as clients we can ring-fence the ideas and details that matter, championing quality and sustainability throughout construction.

Housing for the Homeless, Dover

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Work

Military Road Housing for the Homeless
Social Housing
Dover

Client

Dover Council

Download

> Housing Brochure

A proposal for high quality affordable housing to meet the urgent need for new homes in Dover in collaboration with Dover District Council. The scheme consists of the redevelopment of a triangular parcel of land in central Dover, currently used as a car park.

The site is in a prominent and elevated position, overlooking Dover Town centre and a short walk to Dover Priory Train Station. Accessed off Military Road and on the southern embankment to Folkestone Road, the site is within the Dover settlement boundary and the Town Castle ward.

The proposal is a linear apartment building placed close to the edge of the adjacent slope down to Folkestone Road, offering views across the town to the North. The length of the scheme is defined between retained trees to East and West of the proposed footprint. External walls are angled to allow for an increased depth in the plan form and to better protect the adjacent root protection areas.

Given the site’s proximity to adjacent Conservation Areas and the Grade II listed Alma Hostel, the design aims to enhance the local vernacular while providing and encouraging a sense of ownership and belonging to future occupiers. The design adheres to the highest environmental standards through the adoption of The Future Homes Standard while ensuring the building performance is above the minimum required through Building Regulations.