Project Outline

Murphy built a residential development of ten detached houses and 25 flats, all uniquely designed.

The development faces Highbury Crescent and Highbury Fields. The main building includes large two and three bedroom flats that benefit from a roof terrace with fabulous views. There are two smaller blocks behind the main building, which both include six two-bedroom flats. To the rear of the site, in the most peaceful location, sit ten detached townhouses on three levels. Each property on the development has a dedicated car parking space.

Key Challenges

We constructed this new residential development over a series of railway tunnels. As the principle contractor with in-house capabilities, we were able to overcome this challenge and difficulties with noise and vibrations from passing trains.

Project Delivery and Innovations

Due to noise from passing trains, the acoustic consultant worked closely with the structural engineer and designed a foundation system to address the problem. Each block and house has large inhabitable basements which have anti-vibration bearing springs in the foundation. A ground beam grill is cast over the springs to create a foundation for all external and internal structures. And to make sure that the buildings aren’t affected by any movement of the springs, they are placed strategically on pads on a raft foundation. The springs absorb any vibrations and stop them from travelling through the building.

We constructed 13 buildings from the same materials, which includes facing brickwork, reconstituted stone columns, beams and feature plinths. Other materials include Iroko hardwood windows and doors, Welsh slate pitched roofs, Rheinzink gutters, downpipes, fascia, soffits, composite wood/metal balustrades, and Iroko shiplap infill cladding – all finished with a white render.

We based the design on neighbouring Victorian properties to reflect the local architecture. The building along the crescent has a country house style, which includes ‘porticos’ of reconstituted stone columns and beams framing the flats’ balconies. At ground level, this extends to create a pergola/colonnade covered with climbing plants to link the buildings with the landscaping. All blocks have substantial brick chimneys to tie in with the neighbouring buildings.

All properties are finished to a high standard, typically featuring high-gloss kitchens, Pianoforte worktops by Quarella, porcelain bathroom tiles, en-suite bathrooms by Villeroy & Boch, and Juncker natural oak wood floors.

Key Facts
  • Ten houses and 25 flats
  • Development built over four underground lines 20 metres below ground, and a rail tunnel eight metres below ground
  • Development reflects local Victorian architecture and has a country house style

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