Residential Developments
Folia Architects work with small and medium developers in Mid-Devon and the South West to create modern housing projects. We handle everything from design and planning through to completion. Our services are tailored to each client's needs, guiding you through the development process, including planning consent, land use changes, and architectural plans. Our focus on local and sustainable architecture ensures we create developments that fit well in their environment, making us a great partner for your residential project.
Our Approach
We have extensive experience in housing and community projects, allowing us to create neighbourhoods that foster social interaction and sustainable living. We prioritise wellbeing and health in our designs, using sustainable building methods, natural materials, and biophilic design. We thoroughly research each site to understand its surroundings, identifying challenges and opportunities to ensure our designs meet local needs and context.
Net Zero and Sustainable
At Folia Architects, we aim for a sustainable future by designing homes that use no net energy. As leaders in low-carbon design, we leverage new ideas in our processes and construction. We are certified Passivhaus designers and AECB members, using energy modeling from the start to ensure our plans maximize energy efficiency while considering both initial and long-term costs. Our projects focus on energy efficiency, utilizing renewable resources like solar energy and advanced insulation. In today's world, where climate action is crucial, our dedication to creating net-zero homes sets a high standard for eco-friendly living, encouraging communities to adopt sustainable practices.
Residential Developments
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![Illustration of people gardening in front of a greenhouse and brick building]()
Canon Frome Court Housing
We are currently working with the Windflower Housing Association at Canon Frome Court to develop 3 new affordable housing units - two of which are conversions of existing outbuildings in the grounds of the Grade II listed manor house and one will be a new build on a disused part of the site. We are working closely with the community group, through a series of workshops and consultation events to shape our proposals for the dwellings. The community wants to develop a low energy scheme using bio-based materials that will benefit occupant health and have a lower embodied energy.
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![Aerial view of a rural area with annotations indicating property boundaries, roads labeled "The Nurdens Rd," "Leaches Ford," and existing site entries. The image includes marked features like hedge lines, overhead power cables, and directions for slopes and views. Residential buildings are identified as 1960’s brick semi-detached houses.]()
Nurdens
This masterplan sites two semi-detached dwellings together with shared access from the road, alongside one detached dwelling. The existing pattern of development informed the layout of the proposed dwellings.
The properties are situated parallel to the Nurdens Road, and the rear elevations are 30 degrees off south, which is ideal for maximising solar gain into the dwellings and ensuring a low-energy design. All of the dwellings focus on the views to the south.
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![Illustration of a modern apartment building with multiple levels, balconies, and people outside. A car is parked by the street.]()
Oldbury Court
These 15 flats are designed for Brighter Places, an ambitious new housing association, who aim to achieve both Passivhaus and Zero Carbon in operation with this new development. On a tight suburban plot in Fishponds (Bristol), the 3 blocks of apartments are orientated due south to maximise solar gains. The resulting pockets of external space provide both public and private amenity space for residents.
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![Aerial view of a small residential development with modern houses, green lawns, and surrounding countryside.]()
Bridstow Housing
This project aimed to create a distinctively rural, high-quality housing scheme of 8 dwellings, enhancing the village of Bridstow and embracing both the landscape setting of the site and the existing fabric of the village.
The design for these dwellings focused on spacious open-plan living and optimised solar gains based on Passivhaus principles. The buildings combine timber, brick and render to crisp detailing, reflecting the materials in the local area in a contemporary manner.
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![Architectural sketch of modern barn-style houses with wooden siding, surrounded by stone walls and greenery. People are observing the scene.]()
Lower Herbet's Hill, Llangarron
The vision for the project was to create a distinctively site-specific, rural and typically ‘Herefordshire’ design of housing and landscape, allowing for high-quality, spacious and energy-efficient houses to enhance the site and village as a whole.
The layout has been driven by re-creating a local farmstead vernacular. It utilises solar gains to assist with achieving Passivhaus, and creates a landscape and drainage strategy which is informed by the natural topography of the site. The project was also defined by framing views into the countryside beyond whilst managing views of the development from its surroundings.
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![Colorful row of modern houses with solar panels, featuring blue, red, yellow, and gray facades, set behind a wooden fence, with green grass and young trees in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky.]()
Shaldon Road Community Housing
This community-led housing development on the outskirts of Bristol provides 49 affordable new homes for members of the Bristol Community Land Trust and tenants of Brighter Places Housing Association. Common houses and shared gardens will provide communal facilities at the heart of this community focused development.
What’s the process?
Stages of our Comprehensive Consultation and Design Process:
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Gain a deep understanding of your goals and expectations for a specific site.
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Meet our talented team of designers to confirm the project brief and ensure alignment.
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As well as performing a site-specific planning policies appraisal, we will conduct a thorough analysis of the site, exploring various architectural options, determining the potential number of units, identifying constraints, and developing base-level plans.
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Engage with the planning department to initiate an outline planning application. This option proves beneficial for clients seeking to maximise land value without committing to specific architecture or for those considering an initial step before investing in full plans.
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Prepare the planning application sometimes in conjunction with pre-application advice where we feel it's beneficial. We will also coordinate with the design team and various consultants for the information required for the submission.
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Refine plans based on discussions from the feasibility stage, obtaining your approval. Begin preparing documents for the planning application process. We will work with you to develop house types and use 3D Building Information Modelling to effectively maximise the potential of your site.
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Prepare a comprehensive set of 1:50 scale general arrangement drawings, along with construction notes. Submit a full Building Regulation Application to Building Control. Collaborate with engineers for calculations and detailed technical aspects.
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Prepare detailed construction drawings, drawn specifications, and a comprehensive works specification. This documentation ensures accurate pricing from contractors on a like-for-like basis. Additionally, we facilitate the preparation and administration of a building contract between you and your chosen contractor.