Architect and officially-dubbed Lord, Richard Rogers is making headway on his Oxley Park prefab “Flexi-Houses” in the UK. Rogers’ homes are nearing completion, and we’re here to bring you the updates and specs on the green multi-unit residential development. The homes’ most innovative feature is the “EcoHat,” a roofing system that allows hot air to rise and consequently be reused to provide passive solar water heating, thereby mitigating the energy consumption of the house. Clever floorplans optimize natural lighting schemes, while prefab modules and flat-pack components reduce waste and energy (these factors, when combined with the EcoHat, represent up to a 70% reduction in CO2 emissions).
Oxley Park, when completed, will consist of a total of 145 units, each of which highly flexible and adaptable to changing inhabitants, tastes, or space requirements. Fifty-six of these units will be designed to meet the £60,000 target set by English Partnerships, following a design competition called Design For Manufacture. The new £60,000 homes follow the government initiative for affordable houses with better design, flexibility increased construction efficiency and delivery.
The homes also represent a more holistic community design, with the units in close proximity to both each other and existing urban infrastructure, creating walkable neighborhoods and minimizing car dependency.
+ Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
All photos courtesy of Grant Smith via Urbanity
16 Responses to “PREFAB FRIDAY: Richard Rogers’ Oxley Park Houses”
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Thats in Milton Keynes, Yay! : )
The whole idea of the walkable neighborhoods is based on using underpasses at every main road. It is said you can walk from one side of the city to the other, on the redways, without ever having to cross a main road. Although the underpasses make it perfect for people to get mugged. : (
Come to Milton Keynes!
Very cool post and pictures.
If you have a beautiful walking city why would you want to walk through the underpass?
It may that these cities are Utopian and do not address crime. I think sustainability should look at crime as a social issue and work to eradicate poverty, voiding the need to steal.
>It may that these cities are Utopian and do not address crime. I think sustainability should look at crime as a social issue and work to eradicate poverty, voiding the need to steal.
I think that’s more for the politicians than the architects, but I agree with you 100%
good idea, thats great. to solve problem about energy and material and practical in built, but should be cheaper
“If you have a beautiful city why would you want to walk through the underpass?”
Because you’ll be killed if you try to cross over the busy two-lane roads – doh
and thats the first time I’ve ever heard anyone describe Milton Keynes as “beautiful” – LOL!
“I think sustainability should look at crime as a social issue and work to eradicate poverty, voiding the need to steal.”
Crime isn’t always about poverty and the need to steal – if everyone was a millionaire you’d still get crime – some people just enjoy being nasty to other people
“But should be cheaper”
Cheaper than £60K????? – this is Milton Keynes! – doing a quick google on sequence the cheapest 3-bed house in Milton Keynes showed as £143K – £60 is cheap by anyones standards and VERY cheap for Milton Keynes
It was a myth that these homes would be sold for £60K. The aim was for manufacturers to build a percentage of their new homes for £60K (for a typical 2 bed) with similar reductions in cose for larger homes. I know, I have bought one – a three bed detached for £250K. In terms of design, I think they are a welcome change from the standard home in the UK; brick and morter with tiles roof.
And in it’s own way, Milton Keynes is beautiful!
It would be great if all this innovative development got worldwide exposure on a place called http://www.ListedGreen.com
It deserves the attention it requires for the world to change it’s building ways.
please can you send me details on the avai lable properties to 22 severn way bletchley milton keynes mk3 7qq or contact me on 01908 632721 07971761864
thankyou
N Craven
For God Sake, when will people learn that Milton Keynes is infact a really good city, unless you ve seen every part of MK then dont make presumptions about my City. I think MK is beautiful and i love it!.
I think these homes look really cool and are a big leap foward, i wonder people will embrace them, i hope so.
I would also like some details on these properties and available ones. please send details to 29 Rillington Gardens, Emerson Valley, Milton Keynes MK4 2ED. Thank you so much.
I wish there were more photos of the inside.
Is it possible to see what the interior looks like? It’s all fine and well to view the exterior, but people aren’t living on the exterior. Thanks much.
You can see shots of the inside on my flickr page: http://flickr.com/photos/paulmullett/collections/72157605521813269/ unfortunately not all “magazine style”, as we’ve been living in one of these eco homes since Summer 2008, and it’s been a real mixed bag!
I’m moving into a property qiuite soon. The neighbours seem really nice people and there is a local bus service that stops just outside. I’m sure the community will develop and add quality to Milton Keynes
Unfortunately, the house builders are planning to drop around 20% of this scheme of eco-houses in favour of traditional brick homes. Very sad to see. Check Oxley Woods Living if you’re interested for information.