Social housing and apartments for MCC
The apartments are split into 3 blocks, to maintain permeability to the Rochdale Canal. Subsequently, the blocks have active frontages on all sides. Two parking courts are located between the three blocks. The landscape design will be carefully considered to reduce the impact of vehicles on the scheme.
At 5 storeys, the apartments will naturally create a presence along the canal. This scale and massing ties with the ‘heroic’ mills and other industrial buildings scattered along the canal.
A saw-tooth (northlight roof) is proposed to reduce the scale of the apartment blocks along Silk Street, whilst creating an angled, south facing, roofscape suitable for photovoltaic panels. The roof form also ties the scheme to the industrial heritage of the area / canal. Red brick is chosen as the main material to tie the scheme to the local vernacular (terraced housing and mills). A quality, textured red brick is also chosen for cost reasons.
I.e. it is better to have a high quality red brick rather than a poorer, nonstandard, coloured brick.
Exposed steel structure and corrugated metal cladding are utilised to contrast against the heavier, monolithic brickwork, whilst referencing the more recent building materials found in the area.