New Pods Stack-up Well
18/2/08
Rodney Road, a new ‘pod’ residential scheme in Twickenham, has completed. Hunters acted as both Employer’s Agents and Architects on this affordable housing scheme which has been built using modular ‘pod’ construction, which is an approved MMC.
The pods, which are manufactured in a factory in Dorset, come fitted with kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and living areas and are brought to site on the back of a truck. They are then stacked, bolted together and clad to create a unified building.
The site was suitable in size and type for using pod construction, but its position abutting a railway line presented problems. Firstly, manoeuvring the modules onto the location was awkward because of the tightness of the site space, and secondly the site was affected by noise and pollution from the rail line, which had to be minimised. The main block was therefore designed with bedrooms and living areas facing away from it and kitchens and bathrooms looking onto it which had special sound reducing walls with small puncture windows..
The scheme has achieved an EcoHomes rating of ‘good’ as well as Secured by Design accreditation.
