Mixed-use · Hounslow
3-4 Gilbert Street
A four-storey corner building in Hounslow town centre: offices at ground floor and 13 HMO units above, in buff brick with a concealed rear cantilever.
- Location
- Hounslow
- Type
- Mixed-use
- Scope
- HMO, mixed-use, commercial
- Design
- Green Code Architects
At 3-4 Gilbert Street, in Hounslow town centre, a dated two-storey mixed-use building is replaced by a four-storey building of offices and shared living accommodation.
The site is a corner, and the ground floor makes use of it. The office space wraps the frontage between Hanworth Road and Gilbert Street, giving both streets an active edge. The three floors above contain 13 HMO units for young professionals and couples, each with its own en-suite, alongside shared communal areas.
The massing steps back at several levels. This reduces the building's apparent bulk in the street and brings more daylight into the rooms. The brick is Kingston Buff multi laid in black mortar, with dark grey aluminium detailing.
At the rear, a double cantilever gains internal floor area while respecting the light and privacy of neighbouring properties. Its steel supports are concealed in the detailing. The practice worked with its in-house engineers and external environmental consultants to integrate a green roof and solar panels against demanding energy-efficiency targets.