Data:
Architect- Cartwright and Pickard (Peter Chartwright and James Pickard)
Clients - The Peabody Trust

City- London

Country- England

Address- Shepherdess Walk/Murray Grove Way

Number of Dwellings- 30

Date Built- 1999-2000

Dwelling Types- 1 & 2 BR flats

No. Floors- 5 Exterior

Finish Materials- terracotta, cedar, glass perforated aluminum, steel, stainless steel

Construction Type- Manufactured prefab modular units

Awards:
Building of the year - Royal Fine Art Commission

Structural Steel Award - Corus

Housing Design Award - RIBA et al.

American Institute of Architecture Award

Links:
http://www.aih.org.uk/projects/built/murray/murray.html http://www.yorkon.co.uk/news-archives.dc/11 http://www.architectureweek.com/2002/0821/design_1-2.html http://www.cse.polyu.edu.hk/~cecspoon/lwbt/Case_Studies/MurrayGrove/murray.html#Awards http://housingprototypes.org/project?File_No=GB007

Neighborhoods

Although new in technology of prefabrication and using new materials as glass perforated aluminium and stainless steel, it is preserving the traditional building guidelines that are accustumed in the London borough of Hockney. This way, the building's hight and front line remain the same.

Neighbors

The accommodation is targeted at young single people, couples and flat sharers, who might prefer low-rental housing for a few years rather than the greater commitment of a mortgage. In a lower cost they are provided with housing that is more compact and smaller in size then the average.

Neighboring

The shape of the building together with the balconies facing the inner court yard creates the possibility of visibility at all times. Although this quality withholds the inhabitants of the possibility for privacy it is creating a community that is being supervised al the time.

Implementation

The Peabody Trust was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the results they were getting in their current traditional projects. Construction time-scales were taking 50% longer than forecast and quality was suffering.
Following the success of Murray, Peabody (established in 1862 and owner of 20,000 rented homes in London)
is using prefab modular systems on another larger project, Raines Dairy, on another brownfield site.

Technology

Murray Grove is made of identical prefabricated, monocoque light steel framed boxes that were factory assembled, trucked to the site and lifted by crane into position. These building units are stacked, and connected at the corners rather like marine container vessels. Each module has finished interiors, is wired and plumbed, and comes complete with carpets and kitchen and bath fixtures, doors and windows. The site work was done with conventional piles and foundations and the modules were assembled on these platforms and the construction time was only 7 months.