Ainsley Gommon Architects

Client

Fairlake Properties with Monmouth County Council

Location

Monmouth, Monmouthshire

Value

£940,000

Date Completed

Winter 2003

Development Overview

Drybridge Gardens provides accommodation designed to respond to the changing physical needs of six individuals with severe disabilities, in a non-institutional environment that promotes independence.

The site is within a Grade 2 Listed Walled Garden, once the kitchen garden of Drybridge House. The design takes its theme this setting, with low-pitched butterfly roofs concealed by parapets maintaining the horizontal lines of the garden wall.

A high level of sustainability is achieved by a timber frame cassette system, with Warmcell recycled newspaper insulation. A rainwater harvesting system supplies toilets and washing machines and solar panels provide 30% of the residents’ hot water requirements.

Completed in December 2003 at a cost of £940K, Drybridge Gardens received an RSAW Housing Design Award 2004, a Mention in the Civic Trust Awards 2005 and a Civic Trust for Wales Local Design Award 2006.

The development was also selected by the Design Commission for Wales as an exemplar housing project and is featured on their website.