Shipston Road By: BACA Architects In 2020, London-based practice BACA Architects completed an award-winning, flood-resilient housing development near the historic centre of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. Located within Flood Zones 2 and 3, as designated by the Environment Agency (EA), the brownfield site had lain dormant for over a decade, deemed undevelopable by many developers. BACA applied the LifE (Long-term initiatives for flood risk environments) approach that was developed for Defra, of which the Environment Agency were a major stakeholder, to unlock the site for a premium development of new homes. Thus, converting flood risk from a deal-breaker to a design driver. The scheme comprises 11 high-quality homes, including both detached and terraced properties, arranged around a sumptuous landscape of private and communal garden spaces. The landscaped setting comprises rain gardens, swales, and permeable terraces that work collectively to manage surface water, reduce runoff, and keep water away from the new homes. In a major flood event, the homes and cars will remain safe and dry. Internal roads rise gently by 1.1 meters from the site entrance to the housing plateau, with the western edge acting as a safe haven during flood events while providing public connectivity, featuring elevated pedestrian and cycle … Continue reading Unlocking Flood Zones with Award-Winning Design