Dovehouse Court Almshouses

The new Passivhaus certified almshouses for Girton Town Charity is located in the village of Girton on the outskirts of Cambridge. The low-rise community-centred, accessible housing is characterised by white bricks and colourful entrance doors. It consists of three buildings gathered around a landscaped communal courtyard, a configuration consistent with traditional almshouse typology. All front doors open into the courtyard, with cars positioned at the edge of the site, designed to encourage interactions between residents and remove loneliness. Dovehouse Court is specifically designed as permanent housing for over-55-year-olds who are able to live independently within the community, and applicants must have a close connection to Girton, having lived, worked in or have family already in the village. The 15 energy-efficient, one-bedroom homes, suitable for couples or single residents, are arranged as five bungalows and 10 apartments. The scheme also includes a new office for the charity, adjacent to the homes, which accommodates up to four staff and has been futureproofed for conversion into a one-bedroom bungalow should needs change. The houses are constructed from a pre-fabricated panelised Timber system, filled with recycled newspaper, and wrapped in wood fibre insulation. The wall structure is breathable, but exceedingly air tight to achieve Passivhaus certification. Each apartment has a small terrace to ‘make their own’ and beyond access to landscaped gardens and allotments. The garden has an abundance of places to rest and inhabit, and residents are encouraged to use the raise beds for growing vegetables.