RIBA Annual Lecture - University of Bath

Bridport Cohousing is a riba national award winning project consisting of 53 affordable net zero carbon homes in Bridport, West Dorset on a beautiful site within the Aonb. it is led by a community land trust formed by local residents.

Located below Allington Hill there are stunning views across the AONB in which the project is situated, we worked with Bridport Cohousing Community Land Trust, a resident-led 'sociocratic' organisation, to deliver a transformational project for their site over the last 10 years. Their brief for housing which is more neighbourly, more sustainable and more affordable has driven the design and process of this radical housing scheme.

The proposed houses all face South to maximise passive solar gains and capitalise on views to the wooded hills and surrounding landscape as well as focusing the community towards a shared 'village green', water garden and a self-build, straw bale ‘common house’ with additional communal spaces to the private homes.

Designed to meet the AECB Building Standard, and with a community microgrid of PV panels providing energy to the all electric homes, they are sustainable, healthy and affordable to live in. 14 of the homes were purchased by original members of Bridport Cohousing community land trust, and the remaining homes are a socially rented affordable tenure.

Bournemouth Churches Housing Association, Homes England, and Dorest Council all helped fund the scheme, on land which was crowd-funded by the pioneer group of residents, who all have stories of the life changing impact that living in the community is having on them.