BILLERICAY
Imagining a new future for a prosperous Market Town that has been occupied since the Bronze Age. This mixed use development aims to intensify and enhance a key hinge point on the High street.
This proposed mixed-use development in the heart of Billericay’s High Street has been carefully designed to respond to the surrounding urban fabric, while also incorporating sustainable development principles. Rather than creating a full new development that feels out of character with the area, the scheme seeks to emulate a series of buildings that appear to have evolved over time, thus fitting seamlessly into the town centre.
Importantly, the development takes into account Billericay's surviving street layout, which originates from the medieval period and is of great historical importance. The development seeks to create a break in the massing, providing a moment of relief that leads to a court space, thus taking advantage of its location on a site at the hinge point of the high street.
The massing of the development has been thoughtfully considered, with clear breaks allowing for permeability and relief whilst also enabling sufficient access and egress to and from the site. By building up to a cluster high point that responds to the scale of buildings to the south of the site, the proposed design creates a dynamic roofscape that enhances the views from both the north and south, drawing the viewer’s gaze along the key artery through the heart of Billericay.
The massing of the development has been thoughtfully considered, with clear breaks allowing for permeability and relief whilst also enabling sufficient access and egress to and from the site. By building up to a cluster high point that responds to the scale of buildings to the south of the site, the proposed design creates a dynamic roofscape that enhances the views from both the north and south, drawing the viewer’s gaze along the key artery through the heart of Billericay.
In drawing inspiration from the earliest surviving timber-framed buildings in the Conservation Area, the development creates a moment of detail that draws the viewer in. The expressed podium provides an engaging commercial frontage, utilizing a rhythm of solid and void to respect the scale and variety of openings seen in close proximity to the site. Additionally, a central courtyard has been elevated to the first floor, maximizing midday and evening sun exposure and providing an important communal green space for residents to enjoy.
In summary, this mixed-use development in Billericay's High Street embodies sustainable development principles, responds thoughtfully to the surrounding urban fabric, and draws inspiration from the area's rich history and character, creating a vibrant new piece of the town that will serve as a lively and prosperous shopping area for future generations.
Project Info
STATUS
CONCEPT DESIGN, 2023
TYPE
MIXED USE
LOCATION
BOROUGH
ESSEX
CLIENT
PRIVATE
AREA
6080m²
COORDINATES
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