09 Nov Holloway Studio Reenvisions Historic Site of Upnor, SE England

Hollaway Studio has secured detailed planning consent for an entirely bespoke Paragraph 80 dwelling at a historic site in Upnor, Rochester, South East England. A unanimous decision was made at committee to grant consent for Hollaway Studio’s Paragraph 80 house at Upnor, making this the first Paragraph 80 permission in the district. Situated within the historic Ordnance Yard site, in close proximity to Upnor Castle, this truly bespoke and one-of-a-kind home has been designed to sit sensitively within its surroundings, atop an elevated traverse, overlooking the River Medway.

As required by the demanding standards set by Paragraph 80, the proposal for this unique site underwent a rigorous design journey, comprising multiple reviews with Design South East, officers at Medway Council, and Historic England. This design process led to a proposal that represents the highest quality in architecture, helping to raise the standards of design in the surrounding area.

The site of the new dwelling was initially built as a fort on the strategic River Medway, part of a complex of Ordnance and ammunition storage originating at Upnor Castle. A thoroughly developed landscape proposal by landscape architects and urban designers, Turkington Martin celebrates the notion of the flood wall. This demonstrates a clear understanding of the site’s defining characteristics that enhance the history of the site, whilst being integrated into its landscape. The design feature ensures the proposal is read as a walled landscape, a defensive boundary between the tidal river and the quay, in keeping with the fortress history of the site.