design
Design Approach
Delivering high-quality, purpose-built Temporary Accommodation (TA) requires a design philosophy focused on dignity, sustainability and long-term value. Civic Place works with experienced architects and technical specialists to ensure all schemes meet modern housing standards and deliver positive resident outcomes.
Design Vision
Our design approach ensures that TA homes are indistinguishable from mainstream residential developments. Buildings are designed to feel stable, safe and high-quality, supporting wellbeing and community integration.
Core design principles:
- Modern apartment buildings
- Homes that meet or exceed Nationally Described Space Standards
- High-quality, durable materials to minimise maintenance costs
- Secure, overlooked entrances and safe communal circulation
- Fully accessible units designed to M4(2) standards
- Family-friendly layouts with good natural light and ventilation
- Flexibility for long-term use as TA, move-on accommodation, or general needs housing
Sustainability & Energy Efficiency
We embed sustainability into every aspect of the design to support council Net Zero objectives.
Sustainability features include:
- Air-source heat pumps as low-carbon heating
- PV solar panels integrated within the roofscape
- High-performance insulation and airtight building fabric
- MVHR systems to improve energy efficiency and indoor air quality
- Low-energy LED lighting and smart heating controls
- SuDS strategies and green roofs where appropriate
- Use of materials with low embodied carbon and high durability
These measures reduce running costs and support long-term operational savings for councils.
Modern Methods of Construction
Where feasible, we incorporate modern methods of construction (MMC) to improve quality and accelerate delivery:
- Pre-manufactured components
- Panelised or modular systems
- Improved build accuracy and reduced defects
- Faster and more reliable construction sequencing
Resident Experience
Good design improves how households live and feel in their accommodation, particularly during periods of transition.
Key outcomes include:
- Safe, warm, efficient homes
- Reduced energy bills for the council
- Improved mental health and wellbeing
- Better family stability
- More positive experiences of TA
Our design approach delivers high-quality, sustainable, resident-focused homes that feel permanent, stable and dignified. This ensures councils gain long-term, future-proof assets suitable for a wide range of housing needs.
Projects
Bristol
Hillingdon London
Hillingdon London
York Gate is a distinguished residential development located in the heart of Bristol Temple Quarter, encompassing 221 apartments. The development offers a range of amenities such as ground floor commercial spaces, coworking areas, and an underground car park. The 11-storey building is designed with accessibility in mind, featuring new courtyards and a roof garden that enhances the public realm, providing a vibrant and welcoming environment for residents and the wider community.
Hillingdon London
Hillingdon London
Hillingdon London
This residential project was part of a large masterplan to transform a former RAF site into an exciting, mixed-use estate.
The masterplan has planning consent for 1,340 residential units, commercial office and retail development, primary school, theatre, GP surgery, hotel and care home. The scheme also includes the 40-acre public park, named St Andrew’s Park, situated alongside the River Pinn.
Bristol
Hillingdon London
St Albans
Our proposal for 40-48 Midland Road in Bristol combines this ethos to deliver 71 one-and two-bedroom apartments, centred around a series of vertical gardens at its heart. We completed the design to RIBA Stage 2+, fully considering construction methods, buildability, client budget, and adhering to current fire legislation for a high-rise apartment building. This ensures two accessible means of escape from every apartment.
St Albans
Southwark London
St Albans
Jubilee Square is a mixed-use residential scheme designed to support the regeneration of St Albans city centre. The project involved demolishing existing buildings and redeveloping the site to provide 93 mixed-tenure residential units, all of which are affordable housing. The development includes a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, along with office and retail space, landscaping, public realm improvements, and access and parking facilities.
Milton Keynes
Southwark London
Southwark London
Developed as part of a phased mixed-use development, this nine-storey new YMCA accommodation provides 198 apartments in a high-rise residential accommodation alongside accompanying offices, community facilities and commercial units.
Southwark London
Southwark London
Southwark London
This project delivered new build residential units and a community hall for the London Borough of Southwark. The new development was instigated to meet the growing housing demand of the local area and provide high quality and affordable housing to the community.